


Double stitched - Rewrite

by SecretTimeIsHere



Series: Double stitched [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Underverse, dreamswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 37,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24715372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretTimeIsHere/pseuds/SecretTimeIsHere
Summary: "How far away was he teleported? The Anti Void was vast, but there’s no way he made it back to where he first entered, way back to when he was only a pathetic Geno variant...""Quickly, the destroyer opened serval windows, checking on the AUs, confirming if they were all still the same. They weren’t."A rewrite of my old series Double stitched, which takes place in Dreamswap-and most of the story no longer has any canon elements... This was long overdue for a rewrite, and for my alter ego Secret Time Is Here's Two year anniversary, I decided to share the rewrite of the first chapter :)Yes, the DreamSwap characters are human, those are the canon versions and I want all my series to be as canon to the actual characters as possible.(For those that don’t remember, this is a little Errorcest, just a random idea of if UnderVerse Error got stuck in DreamSwap, and somehow I made it gay. I chose not to question it myself and just rewrite the story.)
Relationships: Blue / Cross / Dream, Blue / Dream, Blue / Dream / Cross, Blue / Error, Cross / Blue / Dream, Cross / Dream / Blue, Dream / Blue, Dream / Blue / Cross, Dream / Cross / Blue, Dreamswap Blue / Dreamswap Cross / Dreamswap Dream, Dreamswap Blue / Dreamswap Dream, Dreamswap Blue / Dreamswap Dream / Dreamswap Cross, Dreamswap Blue / Underverse Error, Dreamswap Cross / Dreamswap Blue / Dreamswap Dream, Dreamswap Cross / Dreamswap Dream / Dreamswap Blue, Dreamswap Dream / Dreamswap Blue, Dreamswap Dream / Dreamswap Blue / Dreamswap Cross, Dreamswap Dream / Dreamswap Cross / Dreamswap Blue, Dreamswap Error / Underverse Error, Dreamswap Ink / Dreamswap Nightmare, Dreamswap Nightmare / Dreamswap Ink, Error / Blue, Errorcest, Glitch / Strings, Ink / Nightmare, Nightmare / Ink, Strings / Glitch, Underverse Error / Dreamswap Blue, Underverse Error / Dreamswap Error
Series: Double stitched [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1277228
Comments: 79
Kudos: 184





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> UnderVerse Error is called Glitch
> 
> Dreamswap Error is referred to as Strings

Groaning, the glitched skeleton woke up, body sore from fighting, bones creaking in protest, wanting more rest. Where was he? Last his buzzing mind could remember he was fighting Ink, then the stupid squid teleported him away from the near destruction of the Au they were in. He couldn’t have been teleported far… but his surroundings said otherwise.

Sitting up and looking around, he was in the Anti Void, but it didn’t feel like it. What was that damned place Core brought survivors to-wasn’t that place supposed to look like the Anti Void? This new place felt foreign, his magic somewhere in it, but different elements. More basic, not his destructive magic that came with his title as a god.

How far away was he teleported? The Anti Void was vast, but there’s no way he made it back to where he first entered, way back to when he was only a pathetic Geno variant.

Searching the space, he felt two more presences of magic, one that was near identical to the Cross he knew and another that felt like a toned-down version of Nightmare, the same amount of magic as that little insolent guardian Dream.

Why would Cross, much less someone with the same magic presence as Nightmare, be in the Anti Void?

Quickly, the destroyer opened serval windows, checking on the AUs, confirming if they were all still the same. They weren’t.

A large, near castle-like building with a “JR” logo plastered on its front sign, was in place of Nightmare’s mansion, a god-like human version of Dream judging by the crown, and a pretty normal-looking human Ink talking and possibly looking over the paper’s in the room he checked on.

When did Dream get so tall? Or get wings? His outfit was totally different too. The crown still sat perched on his skull, but he had the tunic he used to wear, just a different color-a plain brown, with a yellow flaming jacket over it. The cuffs and hood of which were fluffy. An odd trinket sat just under the fold of his collar too, what looked like an ovular spiked sun with a red jewel resting in the middle. He was also wearing basic pants and tied shoes, completely different from the normal boots and battle gear that the destroyer was used to seeing. His skin was almond, eyes blood shot with yellow-pupils a darker yellow to stand out, and hair dark blonde. Looking neat and kept, parted off to the side of his head.

Even Ink was different, dull colors instead of the vibrant ones the artist usually had. Dull grays, dirty browns and bronze colored his outfit. The only thing still vibrant about him being the being his colorful expression of boredom and the shiny “JR” pin on his paintless peanut brown scarf. It was weird. A simple black t-shirt, plain brown jacket with dark gray cuffs and hood, coin gray shorts, boring lace-up ankle shoes. Honestly, the only thing that looked the same was the paint stain on his cheek. 

Inks skin was reddish golden, darker freckles peaking out from underneath the paint stain and across his face. His eyes were still mismatched, one green and the other orange. His bright blonde hair was shaved on the sides and swooped over to the right, showing off the double gold piercings in his ears. Ash gray tattoos peaked out from underneath his shorts, curling and crawling down his calves with long bold designs. His paint brush had changed as well, barely noticeable from a distance, a long thin pole with a small long tuff of hair at the end, the “JR” pin hanging on as an accessory by some decorated strings.

The different Ink seemed to get fed up with the god-Dream and left the room, flipping the bird and showing off brown fingerless gloves as well.

“MaybE THIs Ink and I cOuLd gET aLOnG...” He chuckled, before moving his attention to the next window he had opened, surprisingly not far from the god-Dream.

Some version of Blueberry was there static and glitching, small white blocks littering his left eye. Just like Dream and Ink, his outfit was different too and he was also human. Instead of a tattered and worn bandana, he wore a long blue scarf, a long-sleeved half blue half spiked white sweater, plain pants, and blue boots. His skin was a pale vanilla, and eyes a light blue, matching well with his light fawn brown hair. Was he stalking the god-Dream?! Jeez, this was definitely not his multiverse.

Abruptly, not minutes after Ink left, Blue got out of his hiding spot and strutted into Dream’s office, the look on the Guardian’s face was  _ priceless _ . Man, now he wants to see the little baby grandpa in his multiverse have an  _ actually  _ pissed face.

Deciding that the expression was too much, he scouted for any other’s he could recognize, swiftly finding a human Cross and another human that looked like a purple version of the Dream he knew. At least this Cross looked a little less dorky, and less complicated outfit. That ridiculously big hood was gone, and he wore a simple black long sleeved shirt instead of a turtle neck, his scarf still wrapped around his neck but split off into two ends. Instead of X’s being extra accessories, they were actually in the design of the shirt and shorts, the shoes still owning a cross on each, the color changed to a pitch black. Still not a color in sight except the red scar that adorned his cheek and the single red eye that showed Chara was still very active in this world, the other eye grey.

His skin was quite literally white, as pale and plain as the AntiVoid. His hair was white as well, although a little duller, like a drop of grey mixed in with pure white paint. His hair was styled to meet together at the top, he couldn’t help but laugh at the fact it looked like a trimmed bush. Much like the Ink he had seen earlier, this Cross had piercings, a single black circle on the bottom of each earlobe.

“Nightmare!” This multiverse’s Cross yelled to the purple Dream, who innocently poked his head out of what was probably his room, “Did you put dye in my toothpaste?!” The destroyer just had to turn the window around to see- yep, purple-tinted teeth. At least this Nightmare seemed to be somewhat evil.

He couldn’t help but laugh, all the same, he was so…  _ short _ . A crown similar to Dream’s sat snug on his head parting his bangs and the rest of his hair, but instead of curving in, at the middle sat a plate with a waxing crescent engraved into it. His skin was nearly the same color as the Dream he had seen before, just a tad darker, light purple eyes beaming through the shade of his untidy and mess bangs. This Nightmare also wore a tunic similar to the God-Dreams, but instead of a plain brown, he wore one that was black lined with white that was short-sleeved, and a torn-up purple scarf hung off his shoulders with a waxing crescent pin holding it together. Purple boots decorated his feet in contrast to slippers covered in tarry goo. They were completely different people at least from physical appearance. He had no clue about their personality yet.

Finally, he searched for one person specifically, where was this multiverse’s version of himself? Was he out giddily destroying AUs? Taking souls to add to his collection? Not even close, just being wimpy and knitting together some doll while sitting in a random OuterTale timeline.

Their outfit was terribly plain too, not that he was incredibly good at fashion, but he does have eyelights. Simple short sleeve hoodie, plain boring short scarf, boring red shirt, simple gloves, dark shorts, and high laced boots. His skin was dark like his own bones, this versions dark brown hair pulled back and braided into long dreadlocks.

Changing the window to a portal, he jumped out of the weird Anti Void and landed nearby the other, startling the skeleton some.

“WhO-O...?” They tried to start but was swiftly cut off.

“I gOt sOmE quEsTIOns,  _ buddy _ .” His glitching voice explained, getting straight to the point, “I dOn’T knOw wHaT muLTIvERsE I’m In, oR hOw ThE HeLl I gOT HeRE.” He continued, noticing that there was another difference, their eyes. This multiverse’s Error not sharing the red back-drop, his left eye yellow, and the right red. Curved red rimmed glasses sitting just in front of them. The tear stains there but altered incredibly, a near electric blue flowing down his cheeks like cracks in glass “BuT I dO knOw THaT yOu’RE an aLTERnaTE vERsIOn Of mE and I nEEd answERs.”

The other Error stared at him, confused, they seemed to both have the glitching and error messages at least.

“Okay…? I guEss? Sit dOwn and I’ll tRy-Ry and hElp yOu, u-uh, OthER… mE?”

“NO fIGhT? JEEz, THIs muLTIvERsE Is wImpy and wEIRd.” The destroyer commented, sitting down a yard or so away from the other, haphephobia making it difficult to sit any closer.

“BEfORE any quEstiOns, wE shOuld pRObably gEt this namE thing sOrtEd, uh-” His alternate spoke, voice not nearly as glitchy as his. Suddenly, the other Error snapped his fingers, “YOu glitch mORE than mE! WE can call yOu Glitch- and I guEss I can gO by…” The other skeleton looked down at his hands, “...StRings.”

“ALrIghT,  _ STrINGs _ , wHaT’s GOInG On In THIs muLTIvERsE? SO faR, DREam sOmEHOw gOT wInGs, Ink and I cOuLd acTuaLLy GeT aLOnG fOR OncE, BluE Is a sTaLkER and GLiTChy, NiGHTmaRE isn’t cOvEREd In TaR, CROss acTuaLLy sHOws EmOTIOns, and yOu jusT sEEm LIkE a wImpy LEss amazInG vERsIOn Of mE. And EvEryOnE’s  _ Human _ .”

Strings gave him a confused look, especially on the part of them being humans, mixed with a glare for the comment.

“Can yOu Explain hOw yOuR multivERsE is?” The other Error asked through gritted yellow teeth, another shared trait.

“SuRE? Ink’s an emOTIOnLEss ass, DREam’s a usELEss prOTEcTOR wITH a babyfacE-but sTILL can be an ass and GeT In my way, BluE Is a dETERmInEd paIn In THe ass, NIgHTmaRE’s a smaRT ass, CROss Is aLsO an emOTIOnLEss ass, and Of cOuRsE, I’m awEsOmE and back tO dEsTROyInG AUs afTeR THaT squId bROkE OuR sTupId TRucE.” Glitch said simply, leaning back against the rocks and staring up into space, “In summaRy, EvERyOnE’s an assHoLE THaT GeT’s In my way, buT THe dRama Is beTtER THan UndERNovELa sO I can’T cOmpLaIn  _ tOO  _ much. Plus, wE’RE aLL skELETOns, wHITE bOnEs, ExcEpT fOR mE, and NIGHTmaRE I guEss.”

Strings hummed in reply, not fully happy with the explanation, mainly because of the destroying AUs part, but not wanting to fight at the moment. Leisurely, he started to get back to work on the doll he had started to work on before Glitch randomly appeared.

The destroyer looked over to the other at the sound of needles clicking fast, sitting back up as he watched Strings proficiently and easily knit away at the doll. His hands moving quickly, looping around and pulling more string from his eyes on occasion, method well-practiced.

“HeH,” Glitch let a chuckle escape, “nO maTTeR tHe muLTIvERsE, I can aT LEasT cOunT On OTHeR mE’s knOwInG hOw To knIT.”

“And hERe I thOught I was wimpy and lEss amazing, mR.EgO cOmplEx.” Strings joked sarcastically, smirking all the while. Slightly slowing his pace down to talk easier, he asked: “YOu knit tOO? DEspitE bEing an all-mighty dEstrOyER oR whatEvER?”

“Of cOuRsE I dO! BEsT pasT TImE, asIdE fROm UndERNOvELLa.” He smiled slightly, not used to doing it so carefree, only ever really smiling at the chaotic destruction of an AU.

Time went on like that, just them talking. Finding their few differences but mostly sharing their commonalities. It felt like hours had passed by in the blink of an eye when in reality, they hadn’t been talking for that long. Their conversation was abruptly stopped when a portal opened behind them, two figures running out of it.

“Night? CROss? What are yOu guys dOing hErE?” Strings asked, standing up and running over to his friends, Glitch watching awkwardly from a distance.

“You’ve been gone for hours!” Cross shouted, nearly lurching at strings before stopping himself. Strings, understanding what he was going for, slowly eased into hugging him, “We were worried… if Dream found you...”

“PlEasE, guys, I’m the OnE that busts  _ yOu twO _ Out. I’m finE.” Strings assured.

Glitch, feeling left out, decided to walk over and get introductions out of the way.

“HEaRTfElt REunIOn, whaTevER, I’m kInda sTuck heRE and fROm a dIffEREnT muLTIvERsE, sO yEaH.” Glitch swiftly interrupted, standing somewhat near the group of housemates or whatever they were. Strings didn’t mention specifically what they were to him.

“SoRRy, GlItch. Night, CROss, this is Glitch- An ErROr fROm a diffEREnt multivERsE.” Strings gestured, not surprised when his counterpart didn’t accept the handshake from Nightmare and instead moved away from it. “Glitch, this is my NightmarE and CROss, my bEst fRiEnds, tEammatEs, annOying hOusEmatEs...”

“Rude.” Cross spoke up, but a small smile appeared with the comment, Strings rolling his eye lights to the stars, Glitch only nodding in acceptance.

“So… uh,” Nightmare tried to converse, “How different is your multiverse?”


	2. Chapter 2

Nightmare stared at the somewhat taller skeleton, unbelieving. In hindsight, seeing a black boned glitching skeleton with multicolored fingers, crimson-red colored legs and arms, and multi-ringed eyes is pretty hard to believe. Even if it was standing in front of you.

Fixing the blue scarf a little tighter around his neck, the glitching skeleton repeated, “NEaRLy EvERyOnE is a skELEtOn in my muLTIvERsE.”

“Why? How?!” The dark Guardian questioned, pulling at his hair, expression distorted with confusion.

“DOEs it-iT-iT LOOk LIkE I knOw-Ow?!” Glitch snapped, glitching harshly, pulling the strings from his eyes on reflex to his anger. Strings gave him a worried look, and he snapped the strings off to stuff into pockets for now. The skeleton sighed, stuffing the bottom half of his face into his scarf, “wE aLL jusT…  _ aRE _ . THInk iT has sOmETHIng tO dO wITH tHe crEaTORs Or tHE ORIgInaL unIvERsE, I dIdn’T bOThER LIsTEnIng tO tHaT pukE-bRaIn wHEn hE TRiEd tO ExpLaIn iT.”

“Puke-brain?” This multiverse’s Cross questioned, much more outspoken than the reclusive and introverted skeleton he was used to. Glitch nodded, “Is that their name or…?”

“PukE-braIn, SquId, Ink, wHaTEvER.” The skeleton dramatically rolled his eyes for a long second, “By tHE lOOks Of yOuR Ink, I’m guEssIng hE dOEsn’T pukE ink LIkE mInE dOEs.”

“YOu  _ saw _ OuR Ink?” Strings questioned, and instead of answering, Glitch just simply pulled up a glitching window to that weird “JR” building and started scrolling through the halls until he found Ink lounging and annoying Dream in the God’s office. “Wait, didn’t yOu say yOuR Ink is diffEREnt than OuRs?”

The skeleton thought over it for a moment, while in this multiverse Ink did play the same role as his Cross did, there wasn’t too much of a difference between the two. Both were assholes and emotionless, even if his multiverse’s Ink had some weird paints that somehow made him feel emotion, but his Ink did constantly pester him with pleas of friendship and keeping the AUs alive bullshit.

“SLIgHTLy, EmOTIOnlEss jErk buT Has paInTs THaT gIvE HIm EmOTIOn, I guEss? And pEstERs meE tO sTOp dEsTROyIng and bE hIs fRIEnd oR wHaTEvER.”

“Destroying?” Nightmare questioned.

“THaT Isn’T sOmETHIng THaT HappEns In THIs muLTIvERsE? LamE.”

“Glitch,” Strings asked carefully, his voice seeming serious, “What  _ Exactly  _ dO yOu mEan by dEstROying?”

“WeLL, dEsTROyIng tHE AUs, duH.” Nightmare glared at him, “I’m nOT dOIng tHaT hERe ThOuGH, my bEEf is wITH tHe AUs In my muLTIvERsE, It’d bE pOInTLEss tO sTaRT OvER agaIn anyway. BEsIdEs, sO faR tHIs muLTIvERsE Has bEEn nIcE tO mE, I gOt nO REasOn tO dEsTROy iT, yET.” 

The three roommates glanced at each other for a moment before Nightmare spoke up: “What did they do to you?”

“I...” Glitch’s eyesockets went blank and furrowed in displeasure, hiding more of his skull in his scarf, “...I dOn’T wanT tO TaLk abOuT iT.”

After further conversation, it was decided that Glitch could stay with them, but because of his title of the destroyer, he wasn’t really trusted yet. Understandable. So, since they didn’t have an extra room and didn’t trust him enough to put an extra bed in or share a bed in one of their own rooms, he had a blanket and pillow to sleep on the couch.

It was really rough at first, Glitch not understanding what sleeping, eating, or really anything was, which shocked the meme squad, as the skeleton learned they called themselves. Slowly though, they started to open up some. Helping Glitch to live normally.

Simple reminders of, “Hey you need to...” helping a lot, and even more so with a quirk they learned Glitch had. For every time he slept or ate, or really anything along those lines, he got a small piece of chocolate.

At least it got the four of them to somewhat bond quickly.

Weeks later, Glitch was much more trusted, still sleeping on the couch, more out of preference than anything else, and hanging out with everyone else.

They found things to preoccupy the destroyer easily, Strings helping Glitch better his knitting and learn to sew properly--and not the quick patch job his clothes were, Cross finding a way to bond over video games, and Nightmare showing off their pet chicken Kevin. Sometimes the meme squad would go outside of their little home base only to see Glitch and Kevin sitting for hours, just staring at each other. At least it was a way to pass the time.

“YaRn OvER,” Strings calmly spoke, guiding Glitch through a crotchet technique.

“I aLREady dId-dId tHaT!” The skeleton shouted frustratingly, glitching a bit, his bones currently covered in string as he struggled to do the stitch right.

“Just saying thE stEps again...” The other continued to speak smoothly, leaning back against the armchair and easily doing the double stitch over and over again. The destroyer getting angrier every time he saw Strings complete another stitch. Focusing on the gloved hands, he watched and tried to copy the movements, tuning out the other. “...ThEn yaRn OvER again and pull thROugh thE twO REmaining lOOps.”

And he failed again.

“DAMMIT-dammIT, ALL!” Glitch yelled, glitching, throwing the project down into his lap and hiding his skull completely in his scarf, wishing he kept his old hoodie so he could hide in that too, but the patchy jacket and pants he was wearing now weren’t too bad.

Through his thick scarf, he couldn’t see anything happening, but he could still hear.

He could hear String’s sigh and the armchair ease back forward as the other got up.

Footsteps walked closer and he could hear Strings sit on the other side of the couch. A few fingers came into view, carefully pulling the scarf down while not touching him. The different eyes focused on him and he felt his icy cold soul warm and soften a little. The gaze was welcoming and encouraging.

“HOw abOut wE pick up anOthER timE? YOu cOuld hElp mE with dinnER in thE mEantimE.” Slowly the skeleton nodded, and Strings got up again to go to the kitchen.

His soul much be glitching again. There should be no other reason for it to be jumping around in his ribcage. No. No other reason. He hid his face in the scarf for a bit longer as he felt his cheekbones warm.

No other reason. At all.


	3. Chapter 3

The skeleton sat out in the cold. Tired, hungry, shivering, and crying. Replaying the argument in his head. How hard was it to understand he didn’t want to talk about that?! Talk about what his multiverse did to him. He buried that years ago. He never wanted to remember it again. The memories were far too painful, maybe not physically, but emotionally it picked him up and dropkicked him deep into the abyss. Left alone all over again.

He thought strings would understand better than anyone else that he didn’t want to open up about that.

“Error?” Oh great, now they’ve come to find him, they don’t need to see him pitifully crying like this. “Are you okay?” The voice was softer than any of the meme squads, granted a little squeaky. It sounded like he was back in his multiverse…

“BLuE?” Glitch asked, hesitantly. Aware that this was not his multiverse, and this Blue may not be as friendly. Especially considering he saw the skeleton stalking this multiverse’s Dream. That, or somehow Dream stumbled upon him. He doubted that Ink would have the patience of the care in his non-existent soul to help a lump sitting in the snow of OuterTale. They were the only three that wouldn’t know he wasn’t Strings at first glance.

“Yeah, hey… why won’t you look at me?” Blue calmly asked, voice still smooth, lulling his tired mind. Still somewhat conscious, Glitch shook his head, currently covered by his hood. If this Blue found out he wasn’t human, or Strings, he had no idea what would happen. “Alright...” the voice growled a bit, seeming angry, sensibly, the skeleton flinched. The tone bringing up the memories of his multiverse. “Sorry… what happened? Your…  _ friends _ ;” Blue emphasized, pausing for a moment to let the word sink in before continuing, “ _ Must _ be missing you.”

Tired of the act and just wanting to be left alone to sleep peacefully in the cold, he turned his bony skull to Blue.

“Oh, you aren’t Error… or human… how did you know my name?” The kind voice dropped, evening to a slightly more gravelly tone, probably how his voice was normally.

“SImpLE, I’m fROm a dIffEREnT muLTIvERsE wHeRE yOu aLsO ExIsT.” Glitch shrugged, “EvEn If yOu’RE an InnOcEnT bRaT OvER ThERE.” He glared slightly, smirking at the insult.

“Well,” Blue’s left eye seemed to cover in glitches for a moment before calming again, “I  _ assure  _ you, the same can not be said here.” Glitch raised a skelebrow, daring this Blue to prove it, “Come on, you look  _ awfully- _ ” The kind soft lullaby of a voice reinstated, and those blue eyes looked so sincere, “-tired, my apartment is not that far from here. I have a spare room that you could sleep in. Once you wake up I can  _ truly  _ prove that I’m  _ nothing _ like the little brat in your multiverse.”

Yawning, Glitch got up and out of the snow, hugging himself to keep warm, Blue trying to get closer to help warm him up, but a growl stopping him. Blue simply nodded in understanding, offering the end of his long tattered scarf to help lead Glitch through the deep artificial snow of the space base and soon into a warm apartment and an even warmer bed.

His skull hit the pillow and Glitch could barely fell Blue pull the blankets up to his chin as he fell asleep.

Seemingly, hours passed before the errored skeleton woke up, and slowly, he got up and out of the bed, looking around the guest bedroom. A pair of warm soft clothes were laid out for him, fitting him kinda tightly, but not so much so it was a burden. Maybe some of Blue’s extra clothes? Since the pale human was shorter than him.

A simple blue long-sleeved shirt hung from his bony shoulders, sleeves clinging to his bone and fitted, the bottom barely reaching his waist. Then he had what were probably big sweat on Blue, but barely reaching mid-calf on him, light grey in color with large pockets. Than white socks barely fit his feet, baggy and not fitting the bone. At least if he stayed here longer, he could always make his own clothes.

Even slower, he poked his head out of the room. Seeing the hall he barely remembered walking down last night. Blue’s room presumably across the hall and another door probably leading to the bathroom in between. Across from the bathroom, there was a large archway, likely leading to the rest of the house.

Sneaking his way across the carpet, he was completely silent, able to hear the noises coming from across the apartment. Sizzles of pans and clanks of dishes. Hesitantly, he walked out through the open great room and to the tiled kitchen. His boney feet clicking across the floor despite his socks. Blue turned to him.

“You’re awake! I was thinking you’d sleep a little longer, but, oh well.” Blue smiled, white teeth shining, fawn hair flopping around with his exaggerated movements.

“HOw LOng was I OuT?” Glitch asked, sitting down at the table in the small room, still tired, his droopy eye nearly closed.

“Eight hours, at the most. It was a little late when I brought you home, maybe eleven or twelve at night? If my clocks are right that is.” Blue answered, talking to himself for a moment, before nodding, “So yeah, not too long.”

“LOngEsT sLEEp I’vE EvER gotten.” Glitch mumbled to himself, getting a questioning and worried look from Blue. “Do yOu knOw Of tHE AnTIVOId and hOw yOu dOn’T rEaLLy HavE tO dO anyTHIng tO kEEp yOuRsELf aLIvE in tHERe?” Blue nodded his head, seeming to know where this was going, “WeLL, In my muLTIvERsE THaT’s wHERe I LIvEd, sO I’m tRyIng tO gET usEd to wEll…  _ LIvIng _ .”

“I could help you with that, here!” Blue smiled, offering what Glitch guessed was food on a fork, “Try it!” Hesitantly, he opened his mouth and ate what was on it, letting his tongues and magic dissolve the food, swallowing the resulting magic. It tasted sweet. The aftertaste staying for a moment before leaving. “You like it?” He nodded, “It’s fruit, or more specifically, a blueberry. I got some ripe ones from the store the other day.

“CannabLILIsm...” He mumbled, getting a weird look, “In my muLTIvERsE, EvERyOnE calls yOu BLuEbERRy, BLuE fOR sHoRT, or BERRy.”

“Interesting...  _ different. _ ” Blue went back to cooking, Glitch couldn’t see or know what, and after a few quiet minutes, the human spoke up: “Couldn’t you just stay in the AntiVoid since you did in your multiverse?”

“WeLL, I  _ was _ sTayIng wITH tHe mEAn squad,” Blue laughed at the insult “And thEy  _ wERE _ hELpIng mE wITH THaT, buT wE GOt InTO an aRgumEnT abOuT why I sTaRTEd dEstROyIng In my muLTIvERsE.” Glitch stared down a the table, and a plate with a small portion of food was on it.

“Well, it was wrong for them to push that, you have your reasons, I’m sure,” Blue spoke between bites of his own meal, eggs was what he called them, oddly delicious. “While I don’t agree with the destroying part, assuming it means killing and eradicating something or other, I won’t push. You. As long as you don’t do it here,” Blue gave him a smile, and he felt his soul soften, but not of his own will. The soft blue eyes stared at him and seemed to look right through him, “ _ I’m happy _ .”

Why did Blue fill him with such unease but comfort?


	4. Chapter 4

“WhERE cOuld hE havE gOnE?! Why isn’t hE back yEt?!” Strings yelled, frustrated. 

They could handle Glitch being away for a few days since sometimes the noise of the house became too much and he would need to sit in the AntiVoid for a bit, but being gone for  _ weeks  _ was definitely a reason to worry. It had been over a month and all of the meme squad was pulling their hair trying to figure out where Glitch went.

“Do you think he went somewhere else to relax?” Nightmare offered, barely heard over the static of Strings glitching, more audible with his haywire emotions. Strings looked up at the negative soul, having been curled into a ball of bitterness, “He is you from a different multiverse, where do you go when things get too much?”

“But, we had the giant argument before he left, so he probably left somewhere to cool down.” Cross reminded, bringing up the memory of the rage and chaos that ensued that argument. The living room was upside down by the time Glitch left. Maybe they shouldn’t have pushed so much.

They wanted to help Glitch, and that meant getting to the root of the problem, and that meant finding out whatever happened in his multiverse that caused Error’s need to destroy other’s lives.

“I wOuld usually gO tO… OutERtale... ” Strings slowed down and realized something. “dO yOu think BluE has him?!”

“Could be...” Nightmare followed in his realization, seeming to think through something for once in his life, “Do you think Blue will do anything to him?” Strings glared, “Right, it’s Blue. Well, we can’t go busting in, sadly.”

“What shOuld wE dO then?”

“We could set up a schedule, like watching the area where Blue lives and where you usually go, Strings. Just in case he’s still in the AntiVoid.” Cross offered.

It wasn’t long before they learned they learned they were right. Days after they set up the schedule, Strings was watching over OuterTale and casually sitting together on a back porch was Glitch and Blue.

For once, Blue looked genuine, or he upped his manipulation specifically for Glitch, it was hard to tell. They seemed to be getting along well. Every now and again, with a lot of build-up, they would slowly tough fingertips and at one point, do a quick high five. Blue’s hand must have been stinging afterward because he quickly blew on it. Then again, maybe solid bone against flesh wasn’t the best idea.

Glitch looked comfortable. Like he was sitting with a best friend he had known for years. Has Blue really settled like he always tried to convince Strings, or has he only become a true master of manipulation?

Strings shuddered, feeling sick when he remembered the relationship he had with Blue. Being pulled in from the AntiVoid. No memory. No nothing. Soon they were friends, and Blue learned of his fear of touch, that no thanks to Blue has barely eased in the years of being with Nightmare and Cross.

Blue exploited this, manipulated it and every time he tried to leave reminded Strings of how much the fawn haired did for him. Somehow at some point, Blue wormed him into a relationship. It took several panic attacks before he finally tore himself away. Not long after he met Nightmare and Cross.

Life’s been much better since.

His heart went out to Glitch, hopefully, he’ll be able to tear himself away too.

Strings waited until they went back inside, hours later, and hesitantly, switched out his shift.


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly, the destroyer awoke. Groggy, eye sockets drooping. Sleep didn’t matter that much if he was still tired he could fall back asleep in a second. He needs to know where he is first. Slowly, his glitching body woke up as well, a subtle windows XP startup sound echoing in the soundless room.

Echoing off the walls. Definitely not the AntiVoid. He let himself fall asleep, so it was somewhere he considered safe. Nearby he heard someone grumble, mumbling something incoherently. He couldn’t make out the figure. Over him was a blanket, arms tucked under, and pillows stacked high on one side.

He was at Blue’s… last night the other had learned that he didn’t know of any movies or much of TV, so offered to binge some of his favorite series and movies. Blue saying something about classics that everyone should know.

Suddenly, Blue rolled over, cuddling into Glitch’s side. The skeleton tensed, waiting for the usual pain of contact, but nothing happened. He could feel Blue tiredly cuddling into his side, laying his head on his blanket covered ribs, messing up his hair as he nuzzled into his body.

He could see the other so close to him, but no pain from the contact came. All the pillows muffling the touch and any touch that did happen was softened by the barrier of the blanket. It was new. Thrilling. For the first time, that he could remember, he was cuddling with another.

The usual warrior hardened face dropped and his emotions let loose, he was content. A small smile made his way on his teeth. Whispering, he spoke:

“My hapHEphObIa Isn’T aCTInG up.” Saying the words aloud made it so much more real. Like someone who was blind for their whole life managed by some miracle to see for the first time.

Slowly, unsure of himself, Glitch tested his limits. Slowly setting his hand on Blue’s fawn brown hair. Soft curls moved out of the way, and he was touching Blue. No barrier’s between his skeletal hand and the other’s scalp. Giddily, he messed with the hair, ruffling it and running his phalanges through it. Simply waiting for Blue to wake up.

Some time passed before his friend woke up. Light blue eyes blinking before tiredly nuzzling into his hand, nearly falling back asleep until he woke up all the way.

“You’re… you’re touching me.” Blue looked amazed, Glitch had only been there for a few weeks at most, and with a little pushing on both sides, they made it far, but not this far. “No glitching? Crashes?” The human didn’t even bother using his softer voice, simply filled with shock in that moment. The skeleton shook his skull.

Slowly, a smirk formed on Blue’s face, and he grabbed the skeleton’s hand. Glitch expected him to intertwine their fingers, but instead wrapped his hand around the other’s and gave the backside of his hand a short kiss. Closing one eye. He felt his bones burn with the prolonged contact.

“...WHaT aRE yOu dOInG wItH yOuR EyE?” The error asked, confused. He could understand the kiss, and admittedly it did make a bit of blue appear on his cheeks, but he couldn’t understand why he only closed one eye? Was there something in it?

Blue’s expression changed from something he would normally see Lust have to shock once more.

“You don’t know what winking is?” Glitch shook his skull once more, “It’s a social cue?”

“DOEs iT LoOk LIkE I Had any sOcIaL LIfE bEfORE THIs muLTIvERsE? I wORkEd basIcaLLy TwEnTy-fOuR-sEvEn.” Blue just shook his head, laughing, muttering a short “Nevermind.” Glitch just gave him a questioning look, letting a small smile appear as Blue intertwined their hands. Flinching for a moment, but relaxing.

In the blink of an eye, Blue moved his body up, and pressed a short kiss to Glitch’s teeth before jumping off of him and walking out of the room, probably heading back to his room to get dressed for the day.

His skull felt like it was on fire with his blush, and for a moment, pain.

He never expected to be in a situation where someone would like him, let alone kiss him. He’s the cutest bastard in any multiverse, but considering his haphephobia, he didn’t think anyone would want to work with him. Try and deal with him. Yet Blue had.

Should he let himself relax with Blue? The kiss was nice and made his soul bounce around his ribcage, but it stung. Holding his hand stung. He wasn’t glitching or crashing. But the touch began to burn again if it was given time.

His mind was so confused. His soul felt in some way felt  _ something  _ for Blue, he couldn’t put his tongues on it, but at the same time, his mind was telling him this was wrong. That Blue was pushing him too far. That he was asking too much when he was already willingly going through pain just to hold the other’s hand for more than a minute.

What should he do?


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of his glitches buzzed in his ear, his sockets drooping for sleep but yet he himself still wasn’t tired. His thoughts kept him awake, his good eye open, focusing on the clock, and sometimes staring at the warm burning fleshy hand holding his skeletal one. A suddenly, half warm half pain feeling along his back, where a blanket lay supposedly “Protecting” him from the pain of touch. 

Ever since that day, Blue had been constantly keeping contact with him, and by the day, Glitch was growing quieter. Fighting the newly built-in need for sleep in favor of taking small naps while Blue was away at work. The only time he could sleep peacefully. The only time he doesn’t deal with constant lingering pain.

By now, after living with Blue for some months, you would think he’d build up a tolerance to the pain, and for the most part, he had. It was only a quiet sizzle in the background now, growing, growling, and crying louder with time but taming after so long. The thing that hurt the most, was the idea of Blue’s constant contact, despite all the flinches, hissing at the burn, sometimes even huddling into a small ball just to get away from the touch-pride be damned, he continued to hold his hand, cuddle into his side, blanket himself over the skeleton’s body.

What hurt, even more, is he knew all of this was so bad, he was still here, somehow some part of him felt some sort of positivity towards the human. A small minuscule part that showed up after that kiss. It felt like a promise of commitment. At least to him.

Whether he agreed to it or not, it’d be wrong to just back out after Blue did that. A hint of blue shows on his cheeks thinking about it, soft lips against his teeth, so painful yet so damn intoxicating… yet thinking of doing the same with someone else made his face erupt in a blush. Somehow he still couldn’t name the emotion.

The clock he was staring at ticked to a sharp hour, and on cue, Glitch closed his eyes, Blue’s alarm starting to blare.

For a moment, Blue pressed himself into his ribs to reach the clock, turning the alarm off.

It took a few minutes before his lover got up and left the room, the sound of water hitting the tile echoing through the walls as the other got ready for the day.

Finally, the room cooled, and Glitch let himself fall asleep.

  
  


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Alone, he sat at the table, quietly eating away at his meal, thinking back to Blue. After months of Glitch growing quieter, barely saying more than a sentence a day, Blue seemed to express some concern.

_Maybe he does care?_

_No. No, he doesn’t._

The internal conflict ate away at him. He at least asked if he was okay, but sighed loudly as well as visibly rolled his eyes at the skeletons turmoil. Using the terribly intoxicating fake soft voice, he acted like a parent babying a child. Except this child was centuries older than the parent.

_We’re not a child!_

_He was just trying to be sweet and cute, give him another chance._

_Sweet and cute? Seriously? We’ve been going through pain for this jerk!_

_He doesn’t know we’re going through pain though, we never told him. He can’t read our mind._

_We literally curled into a ball and crawled away to get away from him- physically averting when Blue first goes in for touch. As much as moving to the other couch or out of the room! He just follows us and then gives us full-body cuddling! The hurts worse than any attack or Ink ever threw at us! Including the acid paint!_

Now that was a thought. Why was he even staying here? He was going through more physical pain than he ever went through before for Blue. His _enemies_ could respect his fear and blatant pain from touch more than his so-called partner. These are people he’s gone to war with! One-touch from them he could crash! Yet they still respect he doesn’t like to be physically touched and refuse to in or out of battle.

Aside from Ink, occasionally playing a joke or forgetting for a moment about his fear. Even then, it was outside of battle and when he was relaxing somewhere or another.

Even Nightmare, who feasts off of fear and negativity, and could probably get a good power boost from touching him-due to his fear and negative reaction to it-and yet he still doesn’t. The Dream in his multiverse didn’t try and rehabilitate him, despite his constant, “Everyone has some good in them!” nature. Even Dream could see he didn’t need to be domesticated, that Glitch could monitor his fear and work on it when he was ready.

He is not ready to work on it.

He is not a toy to be domesticated.

He is a destroyer of worlds, ancient feared and respected. Venerable. His name brings just as much fear, if not more so than Nightmare. Nightmare needs people to survive to live off their fear. Glitch’s name and appearance bring certain death. Surviving an attack by him is rare. Only a few hundred have survived out of the hundreds of thousand AUs he destroyed over the centuries.

Yet, he’s sitting here, contemplating over a relationship, that brings more pain then the wars he’s been through with the “Guardians” and Nightmare.

_Maybe you just need to talk?_

_Fine… we can talk._

  
  


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“BLuE?” Glitch asked, voice quiet, unsure. Still subtly glitching. Blue hummed, pulling the glitch closer. They had been cuddling, the pain starting scream at his senses. Blue managed to pull the prideful feared destroyer into his lap, arms wrapped around his midsection, blanket barely draped over his lean figure. 

Despite wearing his usual coat and a thick sweater in addition to the blanket, the pain was still barely bearable. “I… can…” Glitch struggled to get the words, a quiet sigh was heard behind him, Glitch wanted to throw an attack at him at this point.

“ _Take your time_.” The words sounded forced out, like Blue was forcing a smile, clearing not wanting to deal with Glitch’s struggling and stammering.

“yOu’RE… _tHIs_ Is HuRTInG mE. A LOt.” Glitch finally pushed out, the other said nothing in reply, “It HurTs mOrE THan any baTtLE I’vE bEEn tHROuGh. Any waR. Any aTTack. It HuRTs mOrE THan acId, and I knOw HOw acId fEELs.”

“Now _that’s_ exaggerating.” Blue completely brushed off, voice monotone and sounding fed up. The sweet sing-song voice didn’t come back, he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he pulled Glitch closer, and the skeleton fell into a crash.

He awoke in the middle of the night, Blue still cuddling into his back.


	7. Chapter 7

The room was quiet, Blue’s steady breathing relaxed, not far from him. A book in one hand, and a black skeletal hand held in the other, thankfully, the only way they were touching right now. His partner backing off more after his extreme crash.

“BLuE?” His glitching voice vibrated, a little more confident than usual. He barely got a low hum in reply, “WHaT If I EvER HavE tO gO HOmE?”

“But, Ru,  _ you are home. _ ” The words rang in his skull, could he ever get out of this? “What reason would I ever let you leave?” Blue paid no mind, simply giving a small squeeze to the skeletal hand and still focusing on his book.

“I mEan  _ my muLTIvERsE _ , BLuE.”

“Doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t let that happen. You belong  _ here _ with  _ me _ .” Glitch opened his jaw to say something more, that even if he hated it, it was his home- but the other was swift to cut him off, “Besides, I could always bring you back, or act as if I was one of those copies you complained so much about when we first met, no?”

Sadly, his so-called partner had a point. Even if something sucked him back into his multiverse, for a time or indefinitely, Blue could always bring him back to this hell hole or make a new life in the skeleton’s multiverse and find him again there. At this point, he’d rather his Nightmare catching him or Dream “Rehabilitating” him from destroying. Even being friends with Ink would be better than living with this version of Blue.

“Why would you ever have any reason to leave,  _ my love... _ ?” Glitch’s partner trailed, digging into his mind. Blue did love him; why would he be doing this otherwise? Blue’s just helping his phobia, they made so much progress “You never belonged there anyway, no one cares for you there, didn’t you confess that’s why you destroy?”

Why did he ever open up to this bastard? This environment is more toxic than an underground full of gas, why is he still here?

“No one cared for you there... didn’t even bother with you. Sad, really.” Bookmarking and putting down the book, Blue used his free hand to turn Glitch’s skull towards him. Rasing the other hand that was holding the skeleton’s less than fleshy one, “They missed the chance to love and enjoy such a wonderful skeleton. So much emotion. So much personality hidden underneath. Like finding beautiful gemstones in what was thought to be an ordinary rock.”

“EmOTIOn? PERsOnaLITy? I’m aLmOsT as EmOTIOnLEss as Ink. I nEvER had tHE fREE TImE tO dEvELOp a pERsOnaLITy. YOuR gEmsTOnEs aRE PyRITE, fOOLs GoLd, fakE.” The destroyer snapped, pulling his hand out of blue’s grip and pulling the warm hand off his chin, facing away from the other, turning his back to him completely. Sighing, he spoke, much softer, “WHEn yOu’RE GOnE, I sIT and waIT In any ROOm oR On THe paTIO. I sIT- and I waIT- and I THInk. THaT’s iT.”

“But surely, you know that if you look, even pyrite had value. In every pyrite...” The blue-eyed human crawled over to him, lurking behind his back, slowly pulling the errored skeleton backward. Laying Glitch on his back, forcing the chin up. Staring into the soft features of his face but the razor, hungry eyes, “...There is some amount of gold. You sit, wait, and think, but that’s your personality, and It’s the perfect person for me.”

The eyes dug into his soul, daring him not to take the supposed compliment, daring to fight.

The destroyer opted to say nothing, not accepting the compliment, but not taking it either. Simply closing his eye sockets, a small frown on his face as he let Blue wipe away the deep blue tears the streaked down his skull.

  
  


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Last night was the final straw for Glitch, quietly, patiently for once; he waited for Blue to leave. Letting himself sleep throughout the night and taking a nap in the morning as well. All the energy he needed to run and leave. He waited another hour after Blue left, just to be sure.

As the clock reached a new hour, he got off the couch, and changed into his proper clothes, since he had been borrowing a lot of Blue’s. His standard redshirt comfortable against his ribs, light, free. Black stitched up pants back on, baggy and familiar. His long coat covering his arms down to the wrist. Coat pockets the perfect size for his hands to fit comfortably. Finally, his Blue scarf wrapped around his neck and he felt protected.

Confidence in his step, he turned off all the lights and locked the front door behind him.

Where to now? Who cares! He’s free of Blue!

However, he still needs somewhere to go, somewhere that Blue can’t get him.

After thinking it through, he went to the only place he could think of, at the off chance that he’d see even one of them again.

Making a portal, he went back to where he first met Strings, the human in question sitting there, sighing and seemingly waiting for something.

“THIs sEEms famLILaR, huh,  _ buddy _ ?”

“Huh?” Strings couldn’t figure out where the voice came from for a moment, making Glitch laugh, sometimes humans could be so dumb. Then, finally, String’s looked behind him, and the skeleton’s soul started to jump around his ribcage.

How could he forget what Strings looked like? Red glasses perched on his nose, long brown dreadlocks pulled back, deep chocolate skin, cute zigzags of blue under his handsome eyes- wait, cute?  _ Handsome _ ? 

“Glitch!” Strings nearly jumped on him before he could think more on those little inner remarks, “SORRy, fORgOt abOut hOw ExtREmE yOuR phObia was-” Glitch slowly came forward and finished the hug, arms loose, unsure.

Then, warm arms came around him, and gloved hands held his back just as loosely. The skeleton let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, and he breathed in the comforting smell of chicken and chocolate.

For the first time in months, he let his bones and magic settle, and he relaxed.


	8. Chapter 8

He was stuck and couldn’t move. Well, he could move, but during his time in this multiverse, he’s learned in this case it’d be best not to. Almost like the unspoken rule of cats, once they fall asleep on you you’re not allowed to get up. No matter what.

It’s a funny comparison to make, considering his Ink always liked to compare him to a cat. Even tried leaving him stupid hoodies with cat ears on them, or painting cat ears on him.

He’d managed to get a little more comfortable since Nightmare and Cross left, but Strings was still asleep. Head laying on his lap. Not directly, because of their haphephobia, a pillow wedged between the human’s head and his own skeletal legs. Yet, the intention was still there.

Strings was comfortable enough with the destroyer of worlds, killer of hundreds of thousands, to fall asleep next to him. Back turned.

Glitch kept replaying how it happened: It was movie night, the four of them, Nightmare Cross Strings and Glitch, picked the movie and huddled together on the couch. By halfway through the movie Strings started to feel tired, and was falling asleep, but wanted to try and make it to the end of the movie. Then the brainless skeleton he was, Glitch offered to put a pillow in his lap so Strings could lay down and be more comfortable, sealing his fate.

After the movie ended, Nightmare and Cross moved the coffee table forward more so Glitch could pull up the footrest, and now he sat there in the dark, unable to fall asleep. Having Strings so close made his soul bounce around, unable to calm, but yet he still didn’t know why.

His mind kept supplying: “Love” but what did his Level Of ViloencE have to do with the weird emotion that Strings was giving him?

It didn’t make sense… was this how his Ink felt about emotions? Unable to understand them at all? 

Strings shifted in his sleep for a moment, fingers wrapping around whatever was closest, his left hand pulling the pillow closer, and his right holding tightly onto Glitch’s skeletal hand. He used to expect pain from the action, but now, he just stares at the hand, knowing he’s able to hold another’s warm palm in his own.

The skeleton found himself pulling Strings blanket higher around his shoulders, letting a soft smile pull at his teeth as the human he came to… enjoy sighed contently, falling back into a peaceful sleep.

The destroyer’s soul finally calmed as well, content. Before he knew it, he was rubbing his thumb across the back of Strings palm, for once not covered by his fingerless gloves. Humans were so weird, but at the same time, he found himself just admiring Strings hand.

The scaly looking skin smooth, his scared and rough fingers just gliding across the surface. His near chocolate skin… cute to Glitch. A soft laugh escaping as the palm was turned over and he could see the folds in the fleshy palm, tracing every line he could see. The world closed off, and it was just him and strings.

Slowly, he stoped and just simply let Strings and his fingers intertwine, and his sockets drifted closed into sleep.

It was much later when he woke up, a blanket pulled up high around his shoulders and pillow tucked behind his head, warmth spread across his body, but the person that was laying with him gone.

He let out a soft sigh, it was nice while it lasted.

“Wow, never expected you to be lovesick.” Nightmare said suddenly, appearing out of the blue behind Glitch, startling him slightly, but still enough to jump up and immediately into a battle stance.

Once Glitch realized who it was and that he was safe and not fighting for his life at the moment, he calmed and dropped his weapons.

“...sORRy” Glitch muttered out, scratching at the back of his skull. “WHaT dO yOu mEAn, ‘LOvEsIck’?”

“When you’re head over heels for someone, can’t stop thinking about them, so on. Don’t think that’s the definition, but it’s basically what it is.” Nightmare shrugged, poll vaulting himself over the back of the couch, patting where Glitch had been sitting.

The destroyer, understanding the message slightly, sat back down, wrapping himself back up in the warm blanket.

“So, who are ya in love with?”

“WHaT dOEs my LEvEL Of VIOLEncE havE tO dO wITh tHIs?” Nightmare burst out laughing, “WHaT?”

“Pftt, not your level, love as in when you care about someone,” The negative guardian managed to stifle the last of his chuckles, and continue speaking, “What’s a good example… uh- Oh!” The human turned his body to fully face Glitch, “The type of love between family, friends, and partners. When two people love each other, and not the level kind, they date.”

“WHaT dOEs tHE day havE tO dO wiTH tHIs? Or aRE yOu TaLkIng abOuT THaT wEIRd fOOd?” Glitch asked, still not understanding at all.

“Do you know what a boyfriend or girlfriend is?” Nightmare questioned, a little concerned now, confused as to why Glitch didn’t know what honest love was. They knew Glitch had lived as basically a non-stop working war machine, but they weren’t aware of the extent that it went to.

“...YeAH? I tHInk? BuT, THEy arEn’T THaT nIcE rIgHT? BLuE was my bOyfRIEnd fOR a wHILE, iT fELT LIkE hE was my EnEmy mORE THan anyTHIng…” Nightmare carefully and slowly pulled the skeleton into a hug.

“He wasn’t a good boyfriend, a boyfriend should make you feel happy and cared for, someone you want to live your life with.” Nightmare softly explained, still holding the destroyer in a loose hug. “A boyfriend is someone you love, and that makes you feel loved.”

“HOw dO I knOw If I’m fEELIng LOvE ThOugH?”

Nightmare pulled back, and thought for a moment, and Glitch sat quietly with his thoughts.

Did he love Strings? It sounded like he did, but he wasn’t sure. Would a killing machine like him even be capable of love?

“Well, it’s hard to know, everyone feels it differently,” Nightmare got up and off the couch, speaking the words that would echo in Glitch’s mind for weeks to come as the negative guardian left the room, “Most of the time people describe it as your heart jumping-or soul-knots in your stomach or gut, and thinking about doing couple things with them, kissing and such. Or just as simple as thinking they look nice, handsome, hot, cute, etc.”

Glitch nearly went into a reboot after the realization that he was very much capable of feeling love.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been weeks, and the words still echoed in his skull. More and more he was learning about his emotions, and how much more he felt than what he first thought. Tiny details suddenly so important. 

He truly was lovesick, whatever that meant.

Nightmare said something about being his “Wingman” whatever that meant, but only ended up making things worse and somehow slightly better? Nightmare proclaimed as dramatically as possible, somehow that didn’t change-Glitch definitely missed that, that Glitch was finally trusted to share a room with someone. That someone happened to be Strings.

Now, it felt like forever before he fell asleep, but in truth, he was getting more and more rest. Feeling secure enough with another trusted person in the room to fall asleep. Thankfully, Strings’ bed was large enough for two with space, so they didn’t need to worry about touching. Even if the human always grabbed Glitch’s had in his sleep. He could swear every time, just before he fell asleep, the other would open his eyes and gently bring the skeleton’s hand closer.

It didn’t help that with the addition of sharing Strings’ room, the human kept insisting that Glitch should wear his clothes, the reasoning every time being: you shouldn’t wear the same thing every day. He’d been wearing these clothes for ages! Glitch couldn’t find a problem with it. However, when he finally caved, and the human gave him that soft smile and eyes filled with such adorable joy. The destroyer couldn’t find in himself to care anymore and went along with it just to see the other so content.

It occurred to him weeks later that he can make his own clothes, or simply steal some more outfits. Yet, he continued just to get a daily dose of an adorable smile from a stupidly cute human.

It was probably over a year into his stay at the new multiverse, months into knowing of his love-not Level Of ViolencE-for Strings while watching some corny romance movie that the human brought up an odd idea: “What dO yOu think Of ROmancE?”

Obviously, the question caught Glitch off guard. “...dO yOu knOw abOut ROmancE?”

“A LiTtLe… why dO yOu ask?” Glitch started to feel his soul bounce around his ribcage again.

“I’vE had my EyEs sEt On this guy fOR a bit, and sincE this was a ROmancE mOviE, I thOught it’d bE On tOpic-” His soul sunk down, and suddenly he remembered the fact of how weird he was. A skeleton with black bones, tear tracks down his skull, error messages littering his body. Than Strings continued: “Kinda likE this dumb mOviE, I might as wEll bE yElling tO him ‘I lOvE yOu’, but hE dOEsn’t sEEm tO gEt it.”

“...WHy dOn’T yOu mOvE On THEn?” It felt like manipulation.  _ Move on from that guy. Love  _ **_me_ ** _. I’m right here, dammit. _ Yet, it could be taken as advice, don’t worship someone that doesn’t know you exist. Was he overthinking things?

“I cOuld… but, hE’s a OncE in a lifEtimE chancE,” Strings’ eyes stared into Glitch’s sockets, and he tucked his chin into his scarf like he did when he was nervous, “If I dOn’t tEll him sOOn, I might nOt EvER bE ablE tO. hE’s nOt Exactly fROm this multivERsE.”

“Oh...” Suddenly everything clicked, and Glitch’s face was bright blue and hidden away in his scarf. For stars sake, he could  _ feel _ how hot his skull was! Then, just like months ago, close to when he first came here, he heard a sigh. Although a lot more aloof and content, nearly a giggle. Fingers came into his vision, careful not to touch him, and his scarf was pulled down.

Strings’ expression was so sincere.

“I guEss yOu’RE nOt REady fOR a RElatiOnship yEt, huh?” Glitch felt tears welling up, he wanted to say something, anything! He wants a relationship, at this point, he’s perfectly fine staying in this multiverse forever! He just wants Strings, he just wants love- “hEy, hEy,” Strings soothed, “I knOw yOuR last RElatiOnship wasn’t that gOOd, wE can takE it slOw… dO yOu want tO shut Off this mOviE and hEad to bEd? MaybE cuddlE if yOu’RE up fOr it?”

Happy to be given a choice, Glitch nodded excitedly.

That night, he laid peacefully. Close to Strings and warm. Arms loosely wrapped around the skeleton and the skeleton’s arms loosely wrapped around the other. For once, the prideful destroyer didn’t care that he had his head in another chest, that he laid in another’s arms and not someone in his. All he cared about was the warm body next to him, the soft finger’s clasping his own, the heartbeat lulling him to sleep, and the comforting smell of chocolate and chicken.

  
  


\---

  
  


The evening was deep when the intruder first arrived, of course, being the proper businessman he is. He didn’t let the annoyance bother him, somehow managing to deal with the nuisance for hours, to the point where he finished his paperwork and was about to leave until the thorn in his side finally said something that piqued his interest.

“A little artist told me you were looking for information on a new anomaly in the multiverse,” the soft voice lured, the taller stopped with his handles on the doors, “I have information of it, for a favor in return.”

“Is the information valuable?” The taller questioned, still turned towards the door, ready to leave if the conversation proved as pointless as he thought.

“If you consider knowing what the anomaly is and where it is valuable, yes.” The voice answered simply, a sing-song note in his tone as if everything was in his favor.

The crowned turned around, Blue sitting confidently in his office chair.

Striding back, the blonde rat scurried back to in front of the desk, and the hawk took his seat.

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke.

“Well? Let’s talk business; after I know of what this favor is of course.” The hawk spoke, straight to the point.

“Dream, Dream, Dream,” Blue spoke simply, circling the desk, letting his scarf wrap annoyingly around the guardian’s chair and wings, “Does everything have to be so serious? I know it’s a business talk but  _ please _ , give this harlequin something to work with.”

“You are aware ‘Harlequin’ is simply a more misdirect way of saying buffoon, correct?” Blue gave an overly pouty face, and Dream nearly snarled: “Business is business, now  _ out with it _ or I shall call security hastily.” The guardian glared, utterly done with his intruder, and wanting to sleep while it was still night. His finger resting just above the call button.

“ _ Aw _ , you’re no fun.” The voice carefully mimicked something playful and teasing, but only succeeded in angering his target more. Placing his finger on the button, but not pushing it, the guardian gave one final chance “Fine, have it your way Dream, all I ask in return is that you return to me… a toy of mine.”

“Is it in the realm of possibility to return your ‘toy’?”

“Why, the lost toy is the anomaly, dear Dreamy,” Blue smirked at the so-called serious business man’s far from serious expression of annoyance and disbelief, “In my care, he is of no harm, and is my mindless toy and not ‘The destroyer of Au’s, Killer of hundreds of thousands’ he was in his multiverse.”

“If I decline?” Blue’s smirk grew wider, and his ocean eyes shinned with greed in the moonlight.

“Simple, no one gets what they want.” Blue turned around a began to walk out of the room, “As much as I hate to admit, I’m incapable of stealing him back myself.” Blue’s hands held onto the handles, and the light airy voice dropped to it’s normal gravely tone, “I don’t get my toy back. Honestly, you have more to lose here: you don’t get to capture the anomaly and let the multiverse know it’s safe once more in JR’s hands, you don’t get to capture Nightmare and his team once and for all...”

“You never mentioned Nightmare prior.”

“Well, he isn’t exactly at the top of my list. To explain, the anomaly is the outlaw Error from a different multiverse entirely, and he’s hiding out with Nightmare and his team. I know where they are, and you  _ don’t _ . We can gain all we want, or not get anything at all. Everything is in our favor right now. All you have to do is collect them, and give me their only hope of escape.”

Dream kept his eyes on Blue, but stayed silent, thinking over everything.

“I don’t see what there is to think about, the anomaly, or  _ Glitch _ as he’s been going by, is powerful, and can easily get past your defenses. He lives as a glitch, he is a literal glitch and can go through any code or forcefields you put up.” Blue walked back over, and put his hands on the desk, leaning over and staring Dream down, “I’m the only one in this whole multiverse who can control him entirely. Even our Error can’t manage that. Our Error has power limits. Glitch’s are built to work without sleep. Without food. A next to infinite limit and he can probably push himself far past that limit to boot.”

“You tell me tall tales and let manure spill from your foul mouth and expect me to believe it?” Blue walked around the desk and opened the window, Dream’s office sat on the ground level.

“Well, believe me or fail the whole multiverse again, your choice.” Blue smiled sadly, shrugging his shoulder as he prepared to step out and over the bushes outside the windowsill.

“...I accept.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strings, just like Glitch, just loves messing with Glitch’s hands after he falls asleep, just caressing each little bone and getting enough confidence to kiss every little bone.
> 
> Nightmare totally set this up after learning they were lovesick for each other, Cross is in on it too
> 
> I’m aware in the original Double-Stitched I had Glitch confess but I thought this was more suiting and made more sense since Glitch doesn’t really understand his own emotions let alone love. Also, I just wanted an excuse to write how it would’ve happened if Strings confessed ;)
> 
> “You tell me tall tales and let manure spill from your foul mouth and expect me to believe it?” Is the best way I could think of saying without cursing: “Stop telling me bullshit.”


	10. Chapter 10

He felt himself shiver as he reluctantly woke up. It was so warm and comfortable when he fell asleep, arms wrapped around him, blankets over them. His head on his human’s chest, the best pillow in any multiverse in his opinion. Now he felt so cold, shivering heavily. 

He couldn’t feel the soft fabric of the shirt nor the shorts he had borrowed. He couldn’t feel the weight of all the blankets that they had cuddled underneath. Couldn’t feel the give of Strings’ old mattress. He couldn’t even feel where Strings was, no limbs wrapped around him or a head over his own. He couldn’t smell the comforting aroma of chocolate and chicken.

It felt like he slept wrong, his spine sore as if sleeping on hard rock. His legs were curled close, and his own arms wrapped around his midsection. The uncomfortable scratch of his old worn clothes rubbing harshly across all the scars on his bones.

Slowly, his sockets opened, and he was greeted with blinding white light.

He was back in the Antivoid…  _ his  _ Antivoid.

Looking up, he hoped with all his unstable soul to not see anything, but, in the white sky blue threads crossed infinitely, dolls and souls of all kinds forever trapped in the nearly unbreakable thread.

No… no! It wasn’t fair, he finally got his happy end- for fuck’s sake, he finally got better, he finally broke away from being a living war machine.

Slowly, the voices began to talk again, none of them helping. He pushed all the noise away, ignoring them.

Quietly, he sat up, and let his skull fall into his hands, wishing Strings was here with him. The stupid little human always knew how to make him feel better. Glitch pushed his head into his scarf, pulling it up all the way to hide from the world.

He finally let go of all his rage at his multiverse, his morals changed.

“Error?” A finger poked, along with an annoyingly familiar voice, “Wow, never thought I’d see you again! Where’ve ya been?! Pretty sure I would’ve notice ya sitting here all mopily before.”

“...Go away, paInT spLaTTER. ‘M nOT In tHE mOOd foR yOuR buLL.” Glitch sighed, taking a moment to remember his own name.

“Stars, you’ve changed, for a second I thought Fresh was here too! You never censor yourself- I think that’s the least threatening thing you’ve ever said to me!” Ink laughed, a soft thud accompanying his words, the stupid ink stain probably sitting down near Glitch, “Actually, where have ya been?”

Error paused for a moment. He had been gone? Physically gone if what Ink said was right?

“...jusT a LItTLe gETaway pLacE, HOw LOng?” Glitch pulled down his scarf, seeing that Ink’s outfit had changed, but nothing else had.

“How long what?”

“yOu… uGH,” Glitch dragged his hand down his skull, “HOw LOng HavE I bEEn gOnE?”

Ink almost spoke without hesitation, surprisingly, but then he searched through his scarf and then pulled a bunch of small notepads out of nowhere.

He’d been in the other multiverse for nearly two years… there’s no way he could’ve slept that long, but, why would he dream of a world so different? Yes, his multiverse and the other multiverse shared some commons, but for the most part, everyone was so different. While it seemed like Ink and Cross switched, Cross still acted somewhat like himself, and at the same time acted like his own person- sadly he couldn’t say much on how the other Ink acted…

Nightmare and Dream were supposedly switched, but Nightmare was way more relaxed then Glitch’s Dream, and somehow way crazier. Yes, the other Nightmare was similar to the corrupted piece of tar in his drama and style, but they were still different. Nightmare was still his own person. Once again, he couldn’t say anything for the other Dream, but, he seemed like a much tamer version of his Glitch’s Nightmare from the glimpse he got when he first arrived.

Then, he and Blue were supposed to be swapped… he just couldn’t match that up well. Strings is so drastically different from Glitch, it was crazy to think they were both Errors in one sense or another. Then, the Blue’s in his multiverse are so different from the Blue he had dated. Even the weird yandere Swaps weren’t close to the Blue he was with, similar, yes, but still off by a long shot. It makes Glitch think about what happened to make that Blue such a manipulating narcissist.

“You’ve been gone for… about a year and a half, maybe two? My notes aren’t giving me anything specific. Give or take since it looks like I forgot for a few weeks then remembered again and started searching again.” Ink explained, laughing a bit, “You kinda scared the multiverse there, Glitchy-”

“ _ DOn’T-On-On’T caLL-aLL me T-TH-THaT _ !” Glitch snarled, glitching heavily. That was Strings’ nickname for him, only for Strings to use, no one else. He doesn’t care if it was a dream or not, that was only _ his human’s  _ nickname.

“Alright, alright- no nicknames. Uh, what was I saying?” The squid brain started to search through his notes again as if that would give him an answer, “Right! You scared the multiverse for a while there, first few months everyone thought you were gonna tear up what was left of the multiverse. At least ya didn’t!” Ink gave a wide soulless smile, still slightly creeping out Glitch.

“I nEEd tO TaLk tO DREam… oR NigHTmaRE.” Ink cocked his head in silent confusion, “dO yOu knOw wHeRE tHEy aRE?”

“Hmmm...” Ink seemed to think for a second, “Nope! Gotta go though!”

He forgot how utterly un-helpful Ink was. Sighing, he thought of a way to find them. He wasn’t that smart, but maybe he could think of something? Nightmare and Dream were guardians or something of positivity and negativity, right? They can go to any place that has their area of emotions.

He already felt bad at it was, nothing to comfort him. His clothing didn’t even feel like his anymore. It wasn’t stained with the smell of chicken or had small bits of dye from pranks that Cross and Nightmare had pulled on him or even a stain from when he tried eating normal food for the first time.

What were some more happy AUs that he had access to and or wouldn’t get found immediately? Haventale… but maybe not, Undertale was probably neutral, Candytale could be pretty happy if you got sugar high, then again. Maybe not. Underswap really was the best place, but there shouldn’t be many timelines left after he destroyed things, or maybe the creators made more after his absence? It was hard to say.

Walking through a glitching portal, he kept reminding himself that even if he ran into a swap sans, they should be and would be nothing like the Blue he was with. Yet, once he caught sight of the universe’s Blue, he just couldn’t do it. There were too many memories, to much pain tied to the person. He couldn’t even think of the name Blue as innocent anymore.

Pitifully, he scurried back to his Antivoid and curled back into his ball. Let Nightmare come find him for all he cared.

“You decided to finally show your face again? Can’t say I wanted to see your atrocious face again, but I would like to know  _ where in the multiverse you’ve been _ .” An oily voice asked, ranting for a moment, before getting to the point.

“HeLLo tO yOu ToO, OcTOpus.” Glitch sarcastically replied, he really didn’t need any of Nightmare’s help right now, “YOu’vE saId yOuR spEEcH, can I gO back tO bEIng a sad sack Of cRap nOw?” Glitch uncurled a little, just in case he needed to fight.

The self-proclaimed King of negativity looked around for a moment as if trying to find someone then gave the most questioning look he could with his single eye. “YEaH, yEaH, I knOw I’m nOT gIvIng as many InsuLTs oR cuRsIng as much, yada yada, LEavE mE aLOnE.”

“At least you kept your sarcasm, now, once more,  _ where in the multiverse have you been? _ ” The living oil spill asked, walking in circles around the errored skeleton. Like he was going to find something telling of where he’s been.

“A gETaway pLacE, nOw LEavE mE aLOnE.”

“That’s hard to believe,” Nightmare scoffed, finally giving it a rest and using his tendrils to make a miniature throne across from Glitch, “If that were the case, which it is not from what I can tell, I would’ve felt you negativity lessen.” Glitch just shrugged his shoulder’s, “You’re a living ball of hate, so much so I can feel it across the mutliverse, or at least used to be that way... If you went somewhere to relax, that hatred would’ve slowly diminished.”

Nightmare’s single eye dug into his soul, too familiar and too much like Blue to be comfortable, and he seemed to be calculating everything as he talked. “I wouldn’t have felt your entire negative presence disappear in an instant. Unless your getaway is spending time with Dream and you’ve been affected by his aura for  _ two fucking years _ , I sincerely doubt your story.”

“YOu wOuLdn’T bELIEvE mE If I TrIEd,” Glitch shook his head, “EvEn I dOn’T bELIEvE mE.”

“Please, I deal with idiots for a team that find more entertainment in chopping off their limbs than reading a book, I’m sure it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.” The negative guardian rolled his pupil dramatically while the errored skeleton cringed at the mental image.

“I was In a dIffEREnT muLTIvERsE, whERE mOsT Of us OuTcOdEs sTiLL ExIsTEd, buT as humans and swappEd arOund.” 

“...For a moment I thought you finally regained your sanity, but, instead you managed to surprise me and somehow became even more demented and deranged.” Glitch gave no comment “…You seriously expect me to believe the bullshit you’re spewing?”

“ThE OthER NigHTmaRE was jusT as dRamaTIc as yOu, samE sTyLE, way LEss EducaTEd, buT basIcaLLy tHE samE.” Glitch shrugged, just continuing to talk to help time go by until the dark King inevitably leaves.

“You really are off your rocker, Glitch.” The destroyer sat and took it, just quietly waiting for the dark King to finally leave.

“Do yOu knOw whERE DREam Is?”

“Why would you think I know about his whereabouts?” Nightmare snarled, getting up from his makeshift throne and preparing to leave.

“ ‘CausE I LEaRnEd fROm tHE OthER yOu THaT yOu’RE tHE kInd Of pERsOn tO sTaLk sOmEOnE and LEaRn THeiR scHEduLE jusT tO avOId THEm.”

“...You think I’d lend you that information without a deal?” The negative guardian turned to face Glitch, arms crossed.

“Do yOu wanT tHE muLTIvERsE tO knOw THaT yOu and DREam OncE LOOkEd LIkE IdEnTIcaL TwIns? Ink cOuld sET a new gOssIp REcORd wiTH HOw fasT hE’d spREad THaT-” Nightmare actually  _ growled _ at that statement, quickly turning back around.

“He doesn’t keep as much of a set schedule anymore, your best bet is Haventale... Rumor is that he’s settled there with that traitor Cross as his personal guard.” Then the dark King disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewatched Underverse 0.4 to make sure I got some details right, and I love how Nightmare and Killer just sit back while Ink has his speech completely untouched by everything and looking like they wished they had popcorn.


	11. Chapter 11

Haventale was bright, a land of clouds where everyone was happy. He felt so out of place, wearing his black’s deep blue’s and red’s compared to everyone else’s pastel’s. Now the trouble was searching for Dream and staying out of view. Finding a safe place to stay on top of a tall building, he sat down and began to search through the AU. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found Dream and accidently found Cross.

They seemed to be relaxing, sitting in a home, Dream wearing much more casual clothes and Cross for the most part wearing the same, his outfit complimenting Dream’s. The positive guardian seemed to be cooking something as they talked. Everyone seemed to be living their lives normally, even happily. Why couldn’t he get that?

Suddenly, Cross seemed to stare right through the window, which  _ should  _ be invisible to him, seconds later he was gone.

“What are  _ you _ doing here.” Cross threatened, reappearing right in front of Glitch, the tip of a dagger pointed at the errored skeleton’s soul, the other dagger held tightly in Cross’ off hand.

“Hello to you too, Oreo.” Glitch rolled his eyes, he’s been through worse than a simple stab wound.

“Once. Again.” Cross barked, “ _ What are you doing here. _ ”

“As cRazy as iT sOunds, I wanT tO TaLk, maInLy tO DREam.”

“You think I’m an idiot?” Glitch shrugged, the other dagger stabbed his pant leg, grazing the bone, “Why would I ever let you near him?”

“I dOn’T havE any REasOn wHy,” The darker skeleton admitted, “aLL I knOw Is hE’s tHE OnLy OnE wHO can hELp mE wiTH THIs.”

“...And what exactly is ‘this’?” Cross questioned, his grip on the dagger’s never slacking.

“As mucH as I LIkE my pRIdE, If iT’s tHe OnLy way tO cOnvIncE yOu...” Glitch sighed and stared at the ground, “I wEnT sOmEwhERE dIffEREnT, whERE I fOund fRIEnds and a lOvER, buT, I dOn’T know If iT was a dREam oR nOT.” He saw the grib on the daggers loosen before readjusting and tightening once more, “I was aT ThE pLacE fOR twO yEaRs, tHE samE TImE I’vE bEEn gOnE hERE, buT, EvERyTHIng I havE tO REmEmbER THaT pLacE Is gOnE...”

He felt so damn weak, but he needed to know If he could get back to Strings, he doesn’t care anymore. He finally got his happy end, and he’s not letting it go.

“EvERyTHIng I had Of StRIngs is gOnE. He REpaIREd my cLOtHEs, hE HELpEd my hEaL mOsT Of my scaRs, hE hElpEd mE wiTH sO much. NOw aLL Of iT is gOnE. EvEn THaT dumb LItTLe HeaRT hE sOwEd aT tHE bOTTOm Of my scaRf.” He refused to let the tears fall, he didn’t need Nightmare interrupting this.

The dagger’s backed away, and he was pulled up by his sleeve. Wordlessly, Cross teleported the two of them back to that kitchen he had seen Dream in.

“Welcome back, Cross! Where’d you go anyway?” The guardian spoke without turning.

“More like what I went to get,” The guard growled, sitting down at one of the island bar stools, the house much different than the standard skeleton bros house, “Our intruder has some questions for you.”

“Intruder-?” Dream turned around, “Error?!” The guardian faced Cross fully, “You let the destroyer of worlds in?!”

“PLEasE- I jusT wanT tO TaLk!” Glitch raised his hands up and away from his face, let his skull fall down in surrender, “I wOuLdn’T havE camE tO yOu If iT wasn’T ImpORTanT… pLEasE. I...” He was struggling to hold in the tears now, he just wants Strings. Pride be damned he wants to be held. Just forgot everything for a bit. Even seeing Strings would be enough at this point.

“You… I can actually feel your positive emotions...” Glitch raised his skull, hoping that’d help stop the tears from building, Dream held his hand over his mouth, looking unsure of what to do. “Where have you been these past two years?”

“It’s a little hard to explain...” Glitch let his hands drop, hugging himself for comfort, the memory of Strings arms around him helping some. The memory of warm flesh of his human warming his cold skeleton body. Yet, he stayed cold, and instead of the fabric of String’s shirt in his hands, he felt the scratchy old texture of his worn jacket.

Dream guided Glitch to a bar stool, saying that he would finish their food and then they could talk.

The warm homemade soup helped a lot, Dream offering some tea with. Now, he didn’t feel like he was freezing, but, his soul still felt cold. In his soul, he knew nothing could replace Strings.

After they finished eating, Dream brought them to a cozy living room, Cross begrudgingly following. Complaining and grumbling the whole time. Dream did point out that he didn’t have to stay, but the guard insisted.

“Sorry about him,” Dream apologized, “Can you try explaining now?”

Then, Glitch replayed the story. Waking up in the new multiverse, learning about who was still there and who wasn’t. Meeting the “Meme squad”, that got a laugh out of Cross for some reason, the guard muttering something about some guy name Epic. He talked about how he began to like Strings, Dream raising his eye brow at it, but not commenting.

He regretfully began to talk about Blue, pulling the blanket the guardian had offered closer around himself, curling further into his ball. He still couldn’t understand why that dumb pretty boy was so manipulating. How he managed to act so innocent and then turned into a demon once he pulled you in his trap.

He replayed how happy he was, finally escaping, going back to the Meme squad. Then, learning about love, and how happy he was when Strings returned his love, only to wake up the next morning back in his own multiverse.

“...Well, Glitch, if you like that name more, I’m happy to tell you that you haven’t had any dream’s since you disappeared.” Everything began to fade out creppily, and he heard Dream say: “Everything was real.”

Bolting up, he woke up in a dark room, one of Strings’ looser night shirts hanging off his ribs, the galaxy shorts he had borrowed replacing his rough old pants, blankets were pilled around him, Strings’ spot empty, the pillows messy behind him, and Nightmare next to him.

“STARS- sTOp dOIng THaT!” Glitch yelled flustered, grabbing a pillow and hitting Night with it.

“Lol.” The negative guardian spoke after he was no longer being smacked by pillows.

“WhaT dOEs THaT EvEn mEan??” Glitch questioned, “WaIT, wHaT aRE yOu dOIng In hERE?”

“Strings’ made breakfast for everyone, and he asked me to come wake ya up, but you were dreaming and it looked pretty cool so I watched it for a bit.”

“cREEp.”

“Lmao.” Glitch just shook his head, “Anyways, that’s what your multiverse looks like? I seem like such a bratty bastard… and, your Dream almost looks like how mine used to be.”

“BEfORE HIs wIngs?”

“The positive corruption, yeah. It’s nice to know I’m not the only person dealing with a childhood friend who suddenly turned on them...” Nightmare trailed for a moment, seeming to think a bit, but then continued, “Oh, and I totally get how your Ink is more annoying than ours now.”

“TeLL mE abOuT iT.”

“ _ What in this multivErsE is taking yOu sO lOng? _ ” Strings’ voice echoed through the room, the handsome face he thought he lost appearing in the door. “MORning, Glitchy.” His human smiled sweetly, and softly, the once cold souled skeleton returned the smile, getting out of bed and hugging his lover close.

Nothing was going to make him lose his happy end.


	12. Chapter 12

He hadn’t even gotten to spend a full day with Strings before it happened, hadn’t been able to properly savor his human’s arms around him, enjoy ruffling that mop of hair or even cuddle that long with his lover.

Glitch had known something felt wrong, battle instincts still in place from decades of war, they had a head start, but JR still busted in. He held off the solider’s for what felt like forever until he felt someone behind him. He barely turned around to see Ink’s bored and emotionless expression before the artist hit him square on the head with the handle of his large brush, knocking the skeleton out.

The destroyer awoke in a less than comfy cell, it almost felt like home sweet home, just as uninhabitable as his Anitvoid. He could see down each end of the hall in the prison-like space, and thankfully, there was no sign of the meme squad in any of the other cells. He was glad they got away. Now, he just has to fight and endure whatever questioning they put him through.

While he didn’t know where the meme squad was hiding now, he could find them with his windows, Glitch just hoped that JR didn’t know of this fact.

He was miserable in his cell, bracelets clamped tight around his wrists preventing him from using his magic without pain, the less than fashionable clamps giving a short shock any time he tried anything. Thankfully, it became tolerable after some time, and he managed to pull enough strings out of his socket to play cat’s cradle. Sadly, because of the cuffs, he couldn’t manipulate as much of his magic as he would’ve liked.

It was two days in that a pair of guards came in to take him somewhere, putting a pair of handcuffs in addition to the bracelets. As he was dragged out of the cell, he fought back, mustering enough magic to summon a bone to use as a sword, his hands stupidly cuffed in front of him and not behind. He was quick to knock out both of the guards, but several more were even quicker to come to their aid, throwing Glitch back in the cell.

It was maybe a week later after his capture that half a dozen guards came to collect him, he pushed out enough magic to summon bones underneath all of them, ducking as another group of his bones soared overhead knocking everyone over, he made a run for it. Managing to make it out of the basement turned prison only to be knocked down by Ink.

Two months, maybe three, and JR seemed to finally learn their lesson. Glitch wasn’t going down without a fight. With three pairs of bracelets, handcuffs on his wrists over the bracelets, and cuffs on his ankles with a dozen bodyguards, he was dragged out of the cell to a small dimly lit room. They cuffed his hands to the table and his feet to the ground and told him to wait.

It felt like hours had passed when the person he was waiting for finally showed, Dream looking pissed but wide-eyed as Glitch harmlessly played cats cradle with a new piece of string, pushing through pain to pull out the new thread.

“...I’m not sure what I expected to find.” Dream sighed, his wings hanging low as he raised his hand to his temples, pushing back a few rebellious strange of his bright blonde hair. Breathing in deeply, the CEO collected himself, and with wings and head held high, he sat across from Glitch, “This is going to be a simple interrogation. I’ll ask questions and you answer, understood?”

Glitch shrugged, uncaring, hands quick as he repeated the cat’s cradle over and over, keeping eye contact with the unnatural yellow blood-shot eyes.

“Where is Nightmare?” Dream asked calmly, the skeleton’s eye lights following as the human’s hand moved to start up a small box of some sort. The errored skeleton could only think of a record player, but it seemed to be something different, “Ignore the recorder, it’s for documentation and trial.”

“Isn’T a REcORdER sOmE wEIRd InsTRumEnE?” Glitch questioned, both to distract and out of curiosity, eyes still focused on the box, “WHaT’s a TrIaL?”

The winged human looked dumbfounded for a moment, before giving a curious expression.

“It’s an instrument, yes, but there is also another type of recorder that, more literally, records sounds.” The errored skeleton nodded. Eye lights moving back to his hands, “A trial is by definition firstly: A formal examination before a judge and usually a jury for criminal or civil cases. And secondly: a test of one kind or another.”

“WeLL, If yOu’RE gOIng puT mE On TRIaL fOR bEIng a cRImInaL, yOu mIGhT as wElL kILl mE nOw.” Glitch chuckled at the idea, a practical god that had lived for years destroying and killing hundreds of thousands caught and put on trial. He let a smirk show through, “I dOn’T knOw mucH, buT I knOw wHaT a cRImInaL Is. A dumb Human LIke yOu wOuLd dIE bEfORE yOu fOund aLL ThE bOdIEs and dusT.”

Dream grimaced, going silent as he seemed to think. Glitch continued to pay no mind, growing bored, he painfully constructed two small thin but dull ended bones, nearly looking like daggers. Letting his tears fall, he pulled the tears and strings from his eye, beginning to knit. Might as well do something while he was waiting for golden boy to continue. Heh, golden boy.

“Why do you continue to use your magic? Shouldn’t it hurt?” Dream questioned, seeming more and more confused by the odd behaviors Glitch showed.

“NoTHIn’ cOmpaREd tO waR,” The skeleton shrugged. Deciding to make a blanket since his cell was so cold, he pulled more string from his eyes as he worked, the human just shook his head, “PLus, cEnTuRIEs Of fIGhTIng buILds a paIn ToLERancE, sO I gOT THaT gOIn’ fOR mE.”

“...getting back on track,” The winged began, “Where is Nightmare?”

“Fuck If I knOw.” 

“Do you have any idea where he could’ve gone?”

“NOpE.” He leaned back in the chair, poping the “P” as he continued the blanket.

“Do you have any helpful information to finding them?”

“HOw dO yOu knOw aLL tHE quEsTIOnEd THaT I dOn’T havE answERs tO?” The skeleton smiled, abnormal yellow teeth showing for once, messing with this Dream really was fun. It was like playing around with his Nightmare, but next to no chance of dying!

Dream’s pissed expression was priceless, “YOu gOnna jusT sIT THerE, oR aRE ya gOnna ask quEsTIOns LIkE ya saId?” The errored skeleton talked as casually as possible, trying to see if he could annoy the CEO further, it worked far better than he planned.

“Get him out of my sight.”


	13. Chapter 13

The next day a dozen guards came to collect him again, taking him to a sciency room where they hooked him up to monitors and things of the like, adding another pair of bracelets. They took notes and talked about his magic and level, stressing over how nothing happened and confused as to why the bracelets didn’t affect Glitch anymore.

Idiots, the lot of them.

They added another pair, and another, his arms growing heavy with the metal. Soon they ran out of room on his forearms and began to click the shackles around his ankles. Meanwhile, the destroyer just kept laughing internally, just like everything else, he grew a resistance to them.

He would run away right now, but that gives the risk of running into Ink in the building, and maybe this multiverses Dream. Even if he managed to get out despite all the weight on him, he doesn’t know where Strings and them are, and there’s the additional risk of running into Blue.

Right now, contrary to what the guards and scientists would think, he’s in no pain. Dream asked him if “it” hurt, not if the bracelets hurt, or if using magic hurt. Truthfully, the bracelets were just heavy accessories now, no pain. However, lifting his hands with all the weight did hurt a little. 

He’s relatively safe here, there is always the possibility of something happening, but, in due time, the meme squad is guaranteed to get him out. Just like every time Nightmare and Cross are captured, and Strings’ came to get them, they would come for Glitch. They would. They had to... right? Even if it’s been months, they had to. They were going to. He just had to wait.

Then the scientists began to ask dumb questions. Glitch may not be the smartest and wasn’t anywhere close to his Nightmare, or this multiverses Dream, but he knew a dumb question. 

_ How do you eat? How do you breathe? How do you see? How are you alive? How is your LV so high? How did you get here? _

Guess they haven’t seen a monster before, although, admittedly, he didn’t know the answer to the last question.

Eventually, they moved on from the questions and began to try and study his body, however, they were quick to take the hint that he was a no-touch exhibit. They tried to compare him to a model of a human skeleton but were quick to understand that to Glitch, the model was naked.

He quickly grew bored of the scientists studying him, thankfully at a distance, and just began to knit again, letting a chuckle escape as the scientists watched him pull the string out of his skull through his eye. That alone would be weird for a skeleton, but what was truly funny, was the looks on their faces when despite ten cuffs on each arm and leg, he was still using magic.

Hours later, the took off all the cuffs except two, allowing him to actually walk around again without dragging his feet-and took him back to that dimly lit room that Dream had interrogated him in. The winged skeleton already waiting for him, the recorder next to him again and this time a note pad with him as well.

The chained his feet, and then loosely chained his hands.

“Forty… Forty magic repressors, and you could still use magic.” Dream sighed, eyes closed, “I thought six repressors hurt you, how?”

“YOu askEd If iT HuRT, tHE wEIGhT HuRT, buT nOT tHE cUffs.” The CEO looked gobsmacked, eyes small and practically boiling with anger, “MoRE quEsTIOns TOday, rIGHT?”

The other sighed, putting his head in his hands. A deep breath in and he pushed his unnaturally blonde hair back the circlet clinking a little against his forehead.

“Yes, let’s get started.” Dream moved the note pad in front of him, pencil in hand, and began the recorder again, “How did you get here?”

“nO cLuE.” The guardian looked ready to strangle him right then and there, “My Ink, much mORE annOyIng THan yOuRs fROm wHaT NIgHT’s TOLd mE, bOund mE and tHREw mE ThROuGH a pORTaL TOwaRds tHE End Of tHE X-EvEnT InTo my AnTIvOId. I cOuLdn’T gET OuT Of ThE bInds sO I jusT fELL asLEEp, thEn I wOkE up hERE In yOuR AnTIvOId. THaT’s aLL I knOw.” Glitch shrugged, summoning the dull bones again and beginning to knit, nearly done with his blanket, maybe he could try adding more designs to it? Maybe like the stars in… nothing from Outertale. He’ll just leave it blank, more comforting that way.

“The X-event?”

“THaT dIdn’T happEn hERE? LamE.”

“What exactly was the X-event?”

“The X-EvEnT was tHE sTupId namE CROss gavE iT, basIcaLLy my CROss was buTT HuRT abOuT LOsIng hIs AU, sO hE TEaREd up a buncH of OThERs tO gET THeIr cOdE and rEbuILd hIs Own. SOmEhOw my Ink pLayEd InTO iT? I dIdn’T rEaLLy caRE tO LIsTEn. JusT anOTHeR fIGHt bETwEEn OuTcOdEs.” Glitch shrugged again, not really caring too much for the conversation.

“So outcodes are a thing in your multiverse as well?” The destroyer nodded, “What of your Nightmare? Is he an outlaw? Is there a version of me in your multiverse?”

“YOu’RE On THe Run, nOT OuTLawEd, buT On tHE Run fOR yOuR LIfE.” Dream looked surprised, “My NiGHTmaRE is cORRupTEd, a TaR-cOvEREd skELETOn wITH TEndRILs, hE TORuREs tHE dIffEREnT AUs and Has His LackEys.” Dream seemed confident hearing the answer, as if he already knew Nightmare was no good.

“What of Ink? Or maybe Blue and Cross?”

Glitch flinched for a moment, hearing the second name… even in the dream he had, a year after he left that bastard, he was still afraid. Afraid of being stuck in such a mentally taxing and painful environment.

“Ink’s ThE guaRdIan Of AUs, B-BLuE Isn’T an OuT-OuTcOdE, jusT anOTHeR-ER sans In anOtHER s-swap AU, CROss was jusT a sans Of sOmE AU bEfORE tHE X-EvEnT, I dOn’T knOw wHaT’s happEnEd tO THEm nOw.” Glitch spoke shakily, glitching, mind still focusing on Blue, his voice evening out towards the end. At least he finished the blanket.

“On the topic of Blue,” Glitch cringed, pulling his finished blanket closer, a small comfort… the thread reminding so much of strings, the thread his human loved to use, all the quilts they would cuddle under. Happy place… happy place… “We made a deal under the pretenses that I would get Nightmare, Cross, and our Error-”

“StRIngs.”

“...That I would get Nightmare, Cross, and Strings, returning you to Blue after he gave the information of your location.” Glitch held the blanket tighter, he would fight out of here right now if Dream was giving him back to Blue, fuck everything, he could find Strings’ on his own. “However,” A small piece of hope, “Since everything didn’t go to according to plan, we’ll be keeping you instead.”

The dark skeleton sat in silence, unsure of what to feel, relief? Relief sounds good. His clutch on the blanket lessened.

“I’m going to give you two options: One: wait for your trial and rot in that cell, with the slightest possibility of Nightmare and his team saving you. Or, two: You work under me and we can dismiss the trial altogether.” The destroyer gave a confused expression, “The work will be simple, as our organization mainly focus’ on ridding the multiverse of its evils, multiverse level groups that pillage or AUs run by tyrants are some examples. Just like any other worker, you will be given pay, have your room, and you will eat with us in the dining hall.”

“No sTRIngs aTTacHEd?”

“Only one, pledge allegiance to justice-to JR.” Dream extended his hand, “That means disconnecting yourself from Nightmare, and no longer being apart of his little group of outlaws.”

Glitch didn’t know what to do, Nightmare Cross and Strings have helped him so much, this would just betray them all over again. It would mean betraying his lover, his human.

Yet, this would protect him, and possible the meme squad too. If they ever got caught, Glitch could help them escape… he could act as if he was a part of JR and secretly search for them; possibly run away to them.

It would be the safest way to get out…

Glitch covered his phalanges with the blanket and shook Dream’s hand.

  
  


\-----

  
  


The room he was given was definitely an upgrade, Dream escorting him to it and talking more about JR along the way, how Error would be working with Ink for the beginning to get used to how they did missions.

The room had several tall bookshelves and a large full bed, a few armchairs, and couches sat around a coffee table, another door leading to a small patio, and a final door leading to the bathroom.

Then Dream properly introduced him to Ink, neither of them were too keen on meeting, or even a handshake. At least they could agree on that. Soon after Glitch got to spare with Dream and Ink, thoroughly enjoying being able to use his magic again.

He nearly forgot the thrill of a fight, not a verbal one, a physical one where he throws bones and uses his blasters, at least this Dream was a good fighter.

The first day as apart of JR flew by him, and by the end of the day, he had several pairs of work clothes and his very own JR pin.

As he lay down in bed, suddenly everything felt as cold as the cell. He felt his soul squeeze. It didn’t matter if he got a room upgrade, or was able to fight again, or if he was apart of JR. He was still alone. He still didn’t have strings.

It was nearly sunrise by the time Glitch fell asleep, clutching the knitted blanket with dried tears down his skull.


	14. Chapter 14

Glitch awoke early in the morning, Dream waking him up personally, going to wait outside while the skeleton got ready. He grabbed one of his new pale-colored t-shirt and black pants, admiring how the clothes fit him. Lightweight for fighting but still keeping him warm, the shoes he was given similar, grey in color. It was weird not wearing his sandals for once. Next, he put on the pale blue running jacket, or whatever it was, that’s just what Dream had called it, and finally wrapped his scarf securely around his neck. 

The gold of the pin beamed at him in the mirror, it still felt wrong. It wasn’t like he betrayed his friends anymore. He  _ did _ betray them. He had to keep repeating in his skull: “I’m doing this for them.” his fingers itched to let out his anger now, to destroy everything and say fuck JR. To go out to the hall and fight Dream right now, to run and try and find Strings.

He looked over to his bed, the sheets still messy, the knitted blanket he made the day before hiding slightly under the bedding.

He allowed himself to hug the blanket before stowing it away in a drawer, then finally leaving his- no not his. This isn’t his room. His room was with strings, it was small, none of the furniture matched, sometimes it was messy, but it was the room he shared with strings. Finally, he left the room.

Dream stood tall outside the room, off to the side of the door. For a moment, the human seemed to stare through him, seeming like he wished to ask something, but he said nothing.

The CEO gave a short nod, and turned around, beginning to walk, Glitch following not far behind. With the early hour, none of the halls were crowded, and the skeleton was pleased to learn the there were separate food halls for the different districts of JR, so the dining hall wasn’t that crowded either.

The winged human had Glitch follow him over to a smaller table, Ink begrudgingly joining shortly after. Dream was quick to get both of them talking, at least find some common interests or subjects since they were going to be working together.

“What about those eccentric internet jokes you keep trying to show me?”

“Memes, Dream. They’re called memes. S-M-H.” Ink shook his head, glaring at Dream “You could try not acting your age for once, ya’know.”

“L-O-L.” Ink looked over to Glitch, surprised. As surprised as an emotionless being could look that is, “DOn’T knOw a LOt Of mEmEs, buT I knOw a bIT.” The skeleton smiled, playing with his food a bit, after being in that cell so long, he was trying to get used to eating again.

“Noice.”

“ _ That’s not even the correct pronunciation- _ ”

“Drop it, Bossman, just drop it.” The artist shook his head once more, looking like they had that argument several times previously.

Training that day went a little better, Ink and Glitch working together against Dream, and using the CEO’s lack of understanding of memes against him. It gave the two of them a few laughs at least.

Lunch came and went, they finished training for the day, and Glitch was allowed back to his room.

“Can’t believe I gotta work with ya, asshole.” Ink spoke casually, not acting like he meant it.

“SamE tO yOu,  _ abomination _ .” Glitch chuckled back

“Nice one.” Ink stopped at a pair of doors, “My stop, see ya in a bit at dinner, ya walking corpse.”

“YEaH, yEaH, sEE ya fLEsH-bag.” Glitch commented back, getting the final laugh. It was nice, being able to do the back and forth insults, if only he could get along with his own Ink this well.

It wasn’t long until his room, only a few doors down from Ink’s, his leg’s barely carried him to an armchair. His eyes focused on resting, his body’s magic spent, it’s been a while since he used up so much of it at once, his skills were getting dull.

Then a familiar voice came, his whole body going rigid in a second, paralyzed.

My, my, you settled in quick, didn’t you, Ru?” A soft, baby doll voice echoed off the walls, “You hurt me you know,” Glitch dared to open his eyes, Blue lounged comfortably across from him on one of the couches, “It was  _ awfully  _ rude of you to leave without so much as a goodbye.”

Glitch didn’t say anything.

“Nothing to say to little ole me?” Blue mocked, putting on a mockingly innocent puppy dog expression, “I thought I taught you some manners! You really have nothing to say to your  _ boyfriend _ ?”

“...yOu ...REn’T a... On...” The skeleton managed to mumble, eyelights fuzzy as if looking off in the distance, not looking at blue.

“What was that, Ru?” Blue sat up, getting off the couch and strutting over to Glitch, Dangling himself around the skeleton. Letting almost his full body touch the haphephobic monster, “Oh, what did everyone else brainwash you with? You were so good being my quiet little lover. Never a peep, who taught you that you could speak up?”

The destroyer’s fingers twitched, and suddenly Blue’s soul lit up and was thrown back onto the couch, flinging the human’s body onto it painfully.

“YOu wEREn’T a gOOd bOyfRIEnd… and yOu’RE  **nOT** my LOvER.” Glitch’s sockets were empty as he stood up from the armchair.

Blue coughed a little as he regained himself, limping a little as he stood back up, fixing his hair and clothes as he did.

The snake slithered back over to him and wrapped himself around Glitch again before the skeleton could do anything.

“Oh? And one of Nightmare’s pathetic little group of outlaws is? Or maybe Nightmare himself?” Blue whispered, holding the destroyer’s chin in his hand, digging a nail into the bone for a moment, Glitch making his eyes return, understanding the silent demand. Blue had him wrapped around his finger, “Where is your partner? Where is the so-called meme squad? Wouldn’t they have come for you already? Why are you here,  _ being held by me _ , instead of with them?” 

The skeleton could hear faint knocking, and someone yelling through the door, but his focus was still on Blue.

He didn’t say anything, once again, he heard another faint noise, the sound of the door lock jiggling.

“They aren’t here… but I am.” Blue leaned in and kissed Glitch.

His eyelights disappeared again, and more tears fell down his skull.

Suddenly Blue was off him, and his legs buckled. He couldn’t think of his pride at that moment. The only thoughts in his mind was that Blue was off him and that he had just cheated on Strings.

He curled into a ball as one hand covered his mouth and the other furiously wiped at his eyes.

Just as abruptly, all his tears disappeared, and he felt dull happiness as if it was fake.

Dream helped him uncurl and wrapped the knitted blanket Glitch had made around the skeleton. Blue was gone. The fake happiness left him and his tears returned. The CEO and Artist did their best to comfort him as he cried, but they couldn’t help much.

Ink left for a time, and came back with a dinner plate, they stayed with Glitch and eventually managed to get Glitch’s backstory with Blue. Dream managed to cheer up the destroyer a little with the absolutely pissed expression he wore.

Eventually, his new colleges left, the winged human informing him of guards outside the entrances of the bedroom. Glitch was left to the cold again.


	15. Chapter 15

“So… you and Blue were a thing?” His coworker asked, getting a dull nod from the skeleton, “Guess he wasn’t that best partner, huh?”

The destroyer and the artist walked side by side through the forest to the meeting point, having just finished Glitch’s first mission. Nothing too difficult, just catching a criminal at large, the criminal knocked out and held up by Glitch’s blue magic behind them.

“...Can wE nOT TaLk abOuT HIm, pLEasE?” Glitch wrapped one of his arms around his ribs, the memory of his human holding him helping, “I was dumb and TRusTEd HIm, I was wITH HIm fOR a fEw mOnTHs and I EscapEd. End Of sTORy.”

The skeleton shuddered, remembering what had happened. He hasn’t even been with strings long, a month or two at most, and he’s already cheated. Whether he liked it or not, Blue had kissed him.

“At least you escaped?” Ink tried, the destroyer said nothing, just shrugged his shoulders, “...sorry, I’m not good at this comforting shit.”

“THanks fOR TRyIng, fLEsH bag.” Glitch forced a smile, Ink gave a small smile back, “I‘m gLad yOu’RE nOT as annOyIng as tHE squId back In my muLTIvERsE.” The skeleton managed to chuckle a little.

“Pfft, whatever Corpse.” The artist scratched at his Ink stain awkwardly, “...you ran away to Nightmare, right? What was it like with them?”

Glitch stopped in his tracks, surprised. Ink stopped walking as well.

“I know Dream talks about Nightmare being the source of evil and all, but, as far as I know, he hasn’t killed anyone-but you’ve killed a huge ass number, even destroying their world into scraps, and you’re with us. So how bad could Nightmare really be?” Ink shrugged, “It gets a soulless guy thinking, ya’know?”

The artist sat down, and Glitch followed, lowering the criminal they had caught to the ground, still held in blue magic.

“If our multiverse is swapped to yours, then wouldn’t that mean our Dream is in your big bad evil Nightmare’s place? We are basically Dream’s lackeys… It’s hard for a guy like me to worry about this stuff, but I can still think about it.”

“...THIs NIghTmaRE Isn’T THaT bad, bEsIdEs HIs pRanks,” Glitch started, unsure if Ink was really being convincing and trying to see if he was a spy for Nightmare or if his coworker was being sincere. Glitch gulped as Ink stared at him, “HOnEsTLy, THEy’RE a gREaT LItTLe famILy, and I mIss ‘Em a LoT… mOsTLy STRIngs, buT I sTiLL mIss aLL Of ‘Em.”

“ ‘Mostly Strings’?” Ink raised a brow, Glitch shrunk into his scarf, skull lighting up in a blue hue, “Are you two…?” 

“NO!”

“You two are!” The artist fell back laughing, then stopped almost immediately, sitting back up he spoke: “...no wonder you were so down about… him… when he did that. How long before-?”

“We wERE TOgEtHEr fOR a nIGhT.”

“Yikes, bad timing on JR’s part, sorry about that.” Glitch simply shrugged, “What are ya gonna do now? Since you’re here and well, with JR.”

“I’vE bEEn TRyIng tO fInd tHEm, buT nO Luck yET.”

“I can’t do much on finding them...” Ink started, “But… I can try and work from the inside, change Dream’s mind. JR is pretty good, taking down criminals and so on. It’s the focus on Nightmare that hurts us.”

Glitch nodded along, closing his sockets. What if he could hold Strings right now? Be held by Strings? See Strings? He’d probably never let go, cling to his human, he’d probably cry from happiness too.

Ink got back up, and Glitch got up as well. Walking again in silence, they continued to the meeting point.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“Come in.” The CEO’s monotone voice echoed through the receiver as the door unlocked, a prevention they had put in place after the first time Blue showed up, but still failed to work against the fawn haired rat.

Walking in, the artist sat down in one of the chairs in front of his superior’s desk. 

“How did the mission go?” Dream continued to work on other paperwork, jotting things down, reading, and rereading over documents.

“Smooth and quick, Glitch’s blue magic made it easier to get the criminal to the meeting point.” Dream nodded, writing down the notes on a separate piece of paper and putting it away in a new file, the skeleton’s name on the front. “Can we talk about something?”

“That all depends on what that something is, and if it’s more time off, no. You slack off too much as it is.” Was the winged human’s immediate response.

“It’s about Nightmare.” Dream paused for a moment, before stacking the documents together neatly and pushing them to the side. Giving Ink his full attention, “Why do we go after him again?”

“He’s the source of all evil. The embodiment of negativity.” The guardian scoffed as if the question offended him, “In order for the multiverse to be happy, and eliminate-or at the least reduce the number of criminals by a significant amount, we have to get rid of him.”

“But he hasn’t personally done anything wrong.”

“You physically can’t care about this Ink.” Dream rubbed his temples

“But I can think about it, and share my thoughts.” The CEO shook his head, “Glitch has killed a huge number-and he’s working with us. Deal or not, you have a mass murder as a worker and are chasing after someone who, if he wasn’t on the run would probably live normally like anyone else-”

“You didn’t know him like I did, he is a bad person, he just doesn’t show it.”

“Then help me know him-”

“Ink.”

“No! I don’t care if I’m soulless, this is important!”

“Ink!” Dream thundered over the artist, standing up out of his seat. The artist finally stopped talking, glaring at the other, “We’ll talk about this further at a separate time. I would like you to leave my office now.”


	16. Chapter 16

Their weapons hit with a satisfying clang, Glitch bounded back again, eyes focused on his opponent. The sword came crashing down towards his skull, and he blocked again, gritting his teeth as the force pushed him back.

He panted, how long have they been at this stupid thing? Long enough for his body to ache, apparently, granted he was a little out of practice.

“Good, again.” Dream’s voice echoed. The destroyer was tired of hearing that line, it must’ve been the dozenth time he’s heard it. He can get practice and all, but really basic blocks? For a war-hardened criminal that’s been fighting for  _ at least _ a century or two.

Glitch, letting his anger fuel him, swung the bone he had been using as a weapon, hitting one of Dream’s hands and knocking the sword out of his grip. Before the CEO could react any further, the skeleton used the leftover force to redirect the hit, knocking the human off his feet and onto the training mat below.

“We done now?” Glitch’s voice managed to make to Dream’s ears through the low hiss of his pain, his crown clinking painfully against his head as well as snagging his hair some.

Dream kicked at the skeleton’s legs, the destroyer falling to the floor as well.

“Now we are.” The CEO huffed, “Good training.”

They laid in silence for a short time, before Glitch collected himself and got up, pulling his boss up with him. A short nod was shared between them, and the errored skeleton walked off.

Dream sighed, his legs and head throbbing.

The training room was left in somewhat of a mess after all the training they got in. Glitch’s bones, strings, and marks from his blasters scattered around. For a moment, he dared to think about what Ink had said.

_ “Glitch has killed a huge number-”  _ So has JR, not all killers are bad. Sometimes they have to end a life to save more. Ink should know that, he’s killed his own handful while being a part of JR.

_ “Deal or not, you have a mass murder as a worker and are chasing after someone who, if he wasn’t on the run would probably live normally like anyone else-” _ The thought made Dream laugh internally. Clearly the artist didn’t know anything about Nightmare, even when the two of them lived normally together, he was a trouble maker and an uncaring prankster. Someone hurt? He didn’t care. Stole something? Sucks for them.

_ “Then help me know him-” _ There’s nothing to know, he’s a criminal and a hazard to those around him.

Lost in thought a low painful groan escaped as a throb of pain thundered through his thoughts. Slowly, he began to walk, powering through the pain in both legs as it burned his calves and ankles.

The halls were nearly empty as he walked back to his office, only the few people rushing through to another district of the building and a few doors opened to libraries and the orphanage. The sun set through the windows as he trudged along, until the moon’s light haunted him once more. Bright white light showered him, opposite of the dark hated person that was associated with it.

At last, he made it to his office and weakly sat down in one of the couches lining the walls of the large room. His eyes flickering before glowing with power and magic, beginning to heal his legs.

“My, my.” The fawn haired rat’s voice echoed from his desk, “Haven’t you found yourself in a small pickle here? You’re here, hurt, and now I have the perfect blackmail-unless you give me what’s  _ mine _ .” The other cut to the chase, sounding like he was on his last thread of sanity trying to get Glitch back.

“And what Blackmail would that be?” Dream asked calmly, too tired to deal with Blue’s lies today. His body sluggish as he moved to the other leg, a comforting warmth flooding through the limb, stretching from the source of the pain.

“Wow, Dreamy, you must’ve hit your head harder than I thought!” The human chuckled, his voice sarcastically sweet, “Allow me to bring you back to school and spell it out for you.”

The winged human just shook his head, flinching in pain as his crown rubbed against the bruise that had formed over his walk, thankfully hidden by his hair. Slowly, he moved his hands to the back of his head and began to heal the injury.

“Our little Glitchy hurt you, enough that you limped your way over to your office to heal yourself.” Blue did a fake gasp, “Oh! What if this news got out?” A over confident smile grew fast over the fake concern that overtook his expression moments before, “What would the children think? Knowing their great leader can be hurt and injured? What would your workers think? Your warriors? All the donations that keep this stupid little business of yours afloat?”

Dream sighed, getting back up and painlessly walking over to his desk chair, Blue scurrying out of it and taking up his new spot on an empty area of the desk… well, a newly empty area. Paper’s flying to the ground, now unorganized. The older continued to ignore the rat.

“You really don’t care about what your subordinates think?” The voice lurred, “Even if it got out Glitchy is a mass murderer?”

“For one, if it did get out he  _ was _ a mass murderer, it happened in another multiverse and we have no records due to not having evidence. In addition, even if you tried to use his LV as evidence, you’d need Glitch to prove that.” Dream started, reorganizing his desk with little to no attention to Blue, a wing accidentally flicking him in the face until he got off the surface and sat into a proper chair.

Blue huffed in annoyance and crossed his legs as he sat in the armchairs sat in front of the desk, “Secondly, if it got out I was hurt training the new recruit, you’d simply give me a prodigy for if I ever died. Glitch would be given even higher security than now, and I have a feeling he has blackmail on you as well.” Blue scoffed, but his emotions spoke of worry. The statement had been a lie, a test to see how the other reacted.

Deciding to see how far he could go with the lies, Dream continued: “I have a few testimonies from him, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind helping find some reason or another to throw you in jail. Even if it doesn’t come out to a long sentence, it would become a permanent record...” Blue grimmaced, “Whatever job you have, even if its a truthful one, would be tarnished, there would be few places left to work, and depending on the charge, maybe next to none...” The other began to glare, “Really the only place you’d have left to work… is under me, granted I allow you to.” Blue got out of his chair, storming off, while a small smile managed to make its way to Dream’s face.

He would have to talk to Glitch again sometime, just in case.


	17. Chapter 17

“C’mon lover boy,” The skeleton grumbled in protest, “Glitch when you told me you found them you looked like a puppy, don’t even bother trying to cover.” Ink laughed, “Let’s get this mission done and then head over to them.”

“...NoT a LOvER bOy.” The destroyer grumbled, slouching with his lower face in his scarf, blue beginning to tint his cheekbones. The artist chuckled, “WhaTEvER, wHaT’s tHE mIssIOn?”

“Nothin’ big, just picking up a baddie to put under our custody while he waits for trial.”

“SeRIOusLy?”

“No one said this job was always exciting, sometimes it’s just basic work.” Glitch’s coworker shrugged, “The criminal is safer under our advanced security rather than a simple cell that this AU has.”

“DId yOu gET a cHancE tO TaLk tO DREam?”

“Yes and no.” The skeleton gave the human a confused look, “I got to talk to him, but didn’t get through to him. Some bull about not knowing Nightmare like he did.”

Glitch hummed in acknowledgment as they walked into the police station, giving the secretary some paperwork and grabbing the criminal smoothly. With blue magic, the skeleton carried the criminal through a portal and they were able to hand them off to security.

Ink and Glitch departed to their rooms and changed into casual clothes. The whole time the skeleton could only feel his soul pulse nervously. The two met again outside of JR, Glitch comfortable in his shaggy stitched clothes and Ink adorning a simple t-shirt and shorts.

“Are ya ready?” Ink asked, hesitant, ready to make the portal. Glitch gave a slow nod, anxious but sure. With a sweep of the artist’s brush, the portal was opened and the errored skeleton was the first one through.

The world reformed around him, the trimmed bushes and pathways of JR changed to large forests and rickety old roads, a winding dirt path leading deeper into the forest. Ink appeared shortly behind him, resting a hand on the destroyer’s shoulder.

“Through here, right?” Glitch nodded once more, and they began their walk into the forest.

Through the few months at being at JR, Glitch had tiredly searched for where the meme squad could be. Where his human was. Any time he could he poured into finding them. Searching through AU after AU he finally found the timeline they were hiding away in. The meme squad had found an old abandoned farmhouse and had been living there for some time by the looks of it.

Through the windows he had made, he was able to see how happy Kevin was with the new place and how Nightmare and Cross had adjusted. Strings seemed to be adjusting as well, just at a slower pace. Glitch hoped that Strings hadn’t moved on in the time he was gone.

The path opened up to a clearing and the farmhouse stood tall, distant chattering and clucking heard from the direction of the animal pens.

Not caring anymore and just wanting to find Strings, Glitch ran towards the sound and his soul froze when he saw Strings again.

His human turned around and those mismatched eyes looked at him over the red glasses, Glitch just ran to Strings, holding tight. Finally. Finally in the warm embrace of his lover. 

The memories of Blue arose and he cried into Strings’ jacket, whispering apology after apology. Strings’ jus whispered back assurance, not questioning, just assuring that Glitch was okay.

It took a moment to realize that Strings was crying too and that they were both sitting on the ground in each other’s embrace. Unsure, Glitch leaned his head up and let his teeth meet Strings’ lips. Somehow that small kiss helped so much. When Strings’ kissed him back, all his worries just disappeared. Blue was wrong.

“As much as this is heartfelt and everything, we seriously need to talk.” Ink’s voice interrupted.

Glitch could feel Strings begin to charge his magic as he pulled away from the kiss, and as gently as he could, he grabbed his human’s wrist and pulled it back into the embrace.

“I-I’m sORRy,” Glitch hiccuped, remembering the other worries that he had. Of joining JR, betraying his lover in another way, “I had tO jOIn JR… I’m sO sORRy...”

“Shh, yOu’RE finE Glitchy, yOu did what yOu had tO...” Strings’ gentle voice washed over him, calming the destroyer easily. “ _ What aRE yOu dOing hERE? _ ” His human’s voice fell into a more sinister tone, directed towards Ink.

“Trying to help JR.” Ink answered simply, “Glitch and I are trying to get Dream to stop going after you guys, I came along with Glitch so I could talk to Nightmare and maybe get a full story.”

“HOld up, what??” Strings spoke, heavily confused, understandably.

“Well, me being soulless- having a mass murder in the top ranks but chasing after someone with no criminal records aside from petty stealing gets ya thinkin’: ‘Why is JR even chasing after you guys?’ Tried to talk to Dream but he just brushed me off and told me I don’t know Nightmare like he does.”

Glitch pulled back from the embrace, getting up with Strings. “What better way to get to know Nightmare than, ya know, talking to Nightmare?” Ink joked, shrugging.

“...Alright, I’ll bring yOu tOO inside. wE can talk mORE thERE.”

The next hours were filled with more tears, remeeting, and a lot of explaining. Glitch was happy that Ink was able to call into Dream, claiming they were going to camp out for the night as a bonding exercise.

Surprisingly, Ink Nightmare Cross and Strings got along well. Thankfully Ink was able to get Dream and Nightmare’s story from the darker guardian as well, Nightmare way less protective of the story than Dream was. In the end, the only truly bad thing was the few crueler pranks Night did in his younger years.

It was soon they were able to hatch a plan, to have Glitch and Ink slowly talk to Dream about Nightmare until Dream relented and dropped the chase. If they played their cards right, it should end in everyone’s favor. Ignoring Blue, of course.

Maybe Ink wasn’t really lying when he said they were doing a bonding exercise, after all, the five of them did end up pretty close by the end of the night. It was nice, to sleep in a warm bed and enjoy being able to wear Strings’ worn clothes again, cuddling under the blankets. They fell asleep comfortably, sleepy goodnight kisses peppered over both of their faces, happier than ever to be together again.


	18. Chapter 18

It wasn’t even a week and he already missed Strings, mornings were rough, knowing he couldn’t wake up to his human. What had this multiverse reduced him to? From a cold souled bastard destroyer to a lovesick basic employee? Maybe it was because of how little he used to understand normal life. Even eating and sleeping were near alien concepts.

Strings was the one who helped him the most, working with him and being understanding, even after Blue. It’s probably what got him so attached, someone willing to work with him and help, understanding that some things would take way longer than others. It didn’t even matter that they shared the true name Error, it was the only thing that made them the same person anymore. Yes they both did knitting and things of that type, but their lives were near wholly different.

Glitch knowing of some past belonging to an AU, but not of where or what that AU is, only that it is long gone. His first experience with the multiverse harsh and unforgiving. Acting out like a child and destroying everything in rage, there was no one left alive to tell him it was wrong to do so. By the time people started to tell him it was wrong, his mind was set in stone. A destiny to destroy worlds as payback. If they can’t be nice, why should he? Monsters and humanity were doomed from the start, no point in letting them all live. Better for the multiverse to be destroyed and give the original a chance to start the multiverse anew again.

Strings have an unknown past as well, but instead of destroying, Blue was able to pull Strings into his grasp early and used him. Strings didn’t learn more destructive magic and barely knows that little code of the multiverse he does through Blue. Whatever past he had marked him physically traumatized even after his memory was wiped clean by the AntiVoid. Escape eventually fell into Strings’ hands and he left, finding Nightmare and soon after Cross. Two best friends to help him through the remembered and forgotten trauma, to help him live a happier life than Glitch could’ve ever hoped for.

Such small changes changing them to such different people, it was a crazy thought. Yet, they could also find solace in each other and even love, not the violence kind, but the emotional kind. Although Glitch would not hesitate to use the violence kind to protect Strings, and Glitch knew that Strings-while he would hesitate-would also fight to protect Glitch.

_ Glitch could feel Strings begin to charge his magic as he pulled away from the kiss, and as gently as he could, he grabbed his human’s wrist and pulled it back into the embrace. _

_ “I-I’m sORRy,” Glitch hiccuped, remembering the other worries that he had. Of joining JR, betraying his lover in another way, “I had tO jOIn JR… I’m sO sORRy...” _

_ “Shh, yOu’RE finE Glitchy, yOu did what yOu had tO...” Strings’ gentle voice washed over him, calming the destroyer easily. “What aRE yOu dOing hERE?” His human’s voice fell into a more sinister tone, directed towards Ink. _

Glitch let a soft kinder smile show in the privacy of the room he was given, his soul still refusing to refer to it as “his room”. His room was with Strings in the serene tranquility of the farmhouse. Where the walls smelled of pine and cedar, the sheets smelled of cheap stolen soap, and everything had the same scent as Strings. When he left the farmhouse, it felt like someone stole his nasal cavity from him. All the sense of Strings gone. JR feeling more like a prison every second. No fun, no excitement, just desk jobs, and boring contracts.

A sudden knocking on the door startled Glitch out of his thoughts, having been staring at the end of his scarf, the little sewn heart that Strings sewed on nearly a year ago now still holding together.

Right, Dream wanted to do more interrogation, for reasons that the winged human was still withholding. Carefully, Glitch wrapped the scarf around his neck, tucking in the side with the stitched heart. He wasn’t going to let Dream know about that, he would fight for his privacy and fight to free the meme squad. He would fight so he could be with Strings again.

He pulled the door open, and just like when he first came to JR, Dream stared through him for a moment. Looking like he wished to ask something, and finally, he did.

“May I ask as to why you are feeling next to nothing but love and loss?”

Glitch froze, unsure of what to do or say, act dumb? Maybe, but Dream can litterally feel his emotions.

“Just… missin’ someone.” Glitch shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I do not mean to pry,” Dream began to walk, the skeleton following along, “But is it someone back home, or in this multiverse? You’ve been radiating these emotions since we rescued you from Nightmare.”

“It’s someone here,” Glitch sighed, “I don’t really have anything back home, aside from a few puppets I guess.” Slowly, the skeleton’s arm wrapped around his side, mimicking comfort. The close memory of Strings’ arms around him sprung to life in his mind as if Strings was walking in place behind him, both of his warm fleshy arms wrapping around Glitch’s cold boney body.

Dream hummed lowly as if this was its own small interrogation, “We… we got together not long before you… rescued me. I haven’t been able to see him since. What does it have to do with anything?”

“It started out as a small bit of friendly teasing,” The boss shrugged, “but I suppose it’s nice to hear that, despite the multiverse, you came from you can still find some happiness. I’m sorry if JR had somehow interrupted that.”

Glitch thought back to that night with Strings, where they cried into each other’s arms and cuddled under knitted blankets and sheets. How they shared their fears as they peppered kisses.

How Glitch feared Strings had moved on, that he wouldn’t be able to find his human ever again, that Strings had forgotten about him, that it truly was a dream and he was just a pathetic narcissist.

How Strings had feared Glitch was back in his multiverse. Sharing the fear and shock Strings had when they were finally able to break into JR and Glitch wasn’t in any of the cells. Sharing how he didn’t want to move on, didn’t want to face what they had thought as the harsh truth that Glitch would be impossible to bring back.

“I was able to find him again… but he had moved on, thinking that I went back to my multiverse.” The lie rolled off his tongues, his voice downcast, easy to say what were his greatest fears now that he knew they weren’t true.

Dream simply nodded, one of his wings resting around Glitch’s shoulders.

“We’re almost to the interrogation room.”


	19. Chapter 19

Dream simply nodded, one of his wings resting around Glitch’s shoulders.

“We’re almost to the interrogation room.”

The magical wing draped around him gave his cold body little to no warmth, the textured magic that mimicked feathers only radiating a comforting aura that failed to work. He’s felt the lowest of lows in his multiverse, nearly blocking off his emotions entirely. Then the highest of high’s in this multiverse, finding Strings once more and enjoying a simple night of cuddling while their souls’ felt as if they were on the clouds.

“ALrIgHT, I’m nOT a sTRIpE, tELl mE wHaT yOu’RE InTERROgaTIng mE On aLREady.”The destroyer spoke smoothly, wanting to move away from that undesirably subject. Dream paused at the expression.

“Pardon?”

“STRIpEs? EvEn I knOw THaT ExpREssIOn- THaT sERIOusLy Isn’T a THInG In tHIs muLTIvERsE?” Dream shook his head, “GuEss It’s jusT a mOnsTER THIng THEn, kId’s wEaR sTRIpEs to sEE THEm fROm sHOrTeR spEcIEs oR sHORteR aduLTs. EvEn wITH aLL Of ya bEIn’ Human yOu’d THInk ya wOuLd sTILl havE iT.”

“So it’s an expression of being a child?” Glitch nodded as both of them began to walk again. “I’m much aware of your high age, the interrogation is a private matter, however, and I wish to keep this as professional as possible.” The skeleton rolled his eyes, “You will be made aware of the topic of interrogation when I begin.”

“YOu’RE wasTIng bREaTH, bIRdman, jusT say ‘I’lL tELl yOu wHEn wE sTaRT InTERROgaTIOn.’ much sImpLER. HeRE I THOugHT my NIghTmaRE was bad wITH hIs OvER tHE tOp spEakIn’.”

“When we start  _ the _ interrogation.”

“WHaTEvER, OuR LanguagE’s gRammaR Is buLLsHIT anyway.”

“You know other languages? I thought you were below average on the knowledge spectrum.” Dream lightly teased.

“I undERsTand a bIT a SpanIsH fROm UndERnOvELa,” Dream raised a brow, “... It’s a SpanIsH sOap OpERa back In my muLTIvERsE.”

“Even those who cause have caused harm have more… light-hearted past times I suppose.” The winged human opened the door to the interrogation room and gestured to the seat Glitch was to take. Dream pulled out a note pad and a recorder once again.

The CEO scratched a few things onto the note pad before directing his attention back to Glitch, “As you more than likely know, Blue is a pest,” The skeleton chuckled at that, “even to me. He has been attempting to blackmail me for years. Now is a good time as any for him to… taste some of his own medicine, assuming that you are agreeing with: One, telling about your time with him, two, attempting to give him some encouraging words to leave JR and us alone, and possible three, helping to find a charge or two that could be given for his constant attempts.”

“YOu GoT camERas In THIs pLaCE, rIgHT? Hasn’T hE bEEn cauGHT In any Of tHOsE?”

“No, he’s managed to find the blind spot to every single one,” Dream sighed shaking his head, “We’re convinced he’s crawling through the floorboards or vents at this point, but there is little to nothing we can do about that. He’s managed to breach the layers of security to my office as well.”

“...ALRigHT, I agREE. AgaInsT Law oR nOT, tHaT fawn raT Is GEtTinG wHaT’s cOmIng tO hIm.” Dream nodded and began the recording.

“When did you meet Blue?”

“In OuTERTalE, abOuT a yEaR agO. HE tHOugHT I was STRInGs and was acTInG LIke hE was TRyIng tO hELp mE.”

“Strings is this multiverse’ Error, correct? What happened after you met?”

“YEaH, iT’s tHE nIcknamE hE camE up wITH tO hELp cOnfusIOn.” Glitch paused, trying to remember clearly what had happened, the memory of being so tired and cold in the snow, “We taLkEd a bIT, hE LEaRnEd I wasn’T STRInGs, buT acTEd LIkE hE wanTEd tO hELp mE anyway… hE OffEREd tO LeT mE sTay wITH hIm and I agREEd, THInkIng iT was Okay. ThE BluE, oR wELL, UndERswap Sans’ back In my muLTIvERsE aRE usuaLLy nIcE and kInd. I dIdn’T THInk anyTHInG Of iT.”

“What occurred while you were staying with Blue?”

“At fIRst, nOTHInG much, iT was LIke HavIng any OtHeR fRIEnd. THEn OnE day, I wOkE up afTEr a mOvIE nIgHT and hE was cLInGInG tO mE-”

“You have haphephobia, the fear of touch, right?” The skeleton hummed quietly, agreeing. If only he reacted negatively instead of intrigued that day… “So, a body clinging to you, even one of a friend, didn’t work out well, did it?”

“Eh,” Glitch shrugged, “I had bLankETs and pILLOws aROund mE, and iT bLOckEd Off tHE tOucH. It was wEIRd nOT crashIng fROm TOucH fOR OncE.”

“Crashing?”

“I’m a skELEtOn buT my bOdy acTs mORE LIkE a cOmpuTER I guEss, GLITcHIng and sTuff, LaGGIng tOO, sOmETImEs my vOIcE EvEns OuT THOugH. When I’m OvERwHELmEd, LIkE with the hapHEpHObIa, I can cRasH and I basIcaLLy gO dEad fOR HOwEvER LOng iT TakEs tO REbOOt.”

“Thank you for clearing that up, continue.”

“He wOkE up a bIT afTER, and was jusT as suRpRIsEd THaT I was abLE tO TOucH hIm, wE TaLkEd fOR a bIT abOuT iT, and tHEn hE LEanEd up and kIssEd mE bEfORE LEavIng fOR wORk.”

“He kissed you?”

“...yEaH, iT huRT tHOugH. I-I dIdn’T knOw wHaT tO dO, fIRsT RELaTIOnsHIp, fIRsT TImE cuddLIng, fIRsT kIss. I had nO IdEa wHaT I was dOIng, I THOugHT tHaT bEIng usEd was jusT a paRT Of bEIng In a RELaTIOnsHIp...” a wing reached across the table and landed on his shoulder, a little comforting this time, “We kInda had a RELaTIOnsHIp fROm tHEn On, EvEn THOugH iT was faR fROm HEaLTHy.”

“What happened from there? Did your haphephobia ever kick back in?”

“It dId, aLTHOugH iT tOOk a bIT, TOuch wOuLd sLOwLy buRn unTIL iT fELT LIkE I was buRnIng aLIvE.” Dream flinched at how casually Glitch said that. “I’vE fELT wORsE fROm baTTLInG In my muLTIvERsE, buT iT dOEsn’T cHanGE tHE facT THaT iT huRT. BLuE jusT THOugHT I was OvER exaggERaTIng.”

Dream nodded, a concerned expression stretched across his features. “ThaT was tHE LasT sTRaw fOR mE, and I EscapEd hIm sOOn afTER, LEavIng wHILe BLuE was aT wORk.” Glitch concluded.

The recorder clicked as Dream stoped it, and the destroyer sighed, covering his head with his arms, leaning on the table. His Boss gave him a light hug soon after.

  
  


\-----

  
  


Late into the day, hours after the interrogation with Glitch, Dream was close to done with his paperwork, everything neatly put away. A simple few papers left, then the buzzer to his office door rang and Ink’s voice came over the intercom: “It’s later! Let’s talk!”

The winged human groaned, of course, he can’t get anything done without getting interrupted. Sighing, he opened the doors, and Ink walked in and sat in front of his desk. The doors slid shut and Dream continued with the paperwork, so close to done, he could even get to bed early for once.

“Exactly what don’t I know about Nightmare?” Dream opened his mouth to speak, but Ink continued: “Something you haven’t said already- not some he’s evil or the source of all evil bullshit.”

Dream sighed, simply going back to the paperwork.

“Don’t you dare give me the Blue treatment, we both know this is important, soulless or not.” The Boss simply continued writing, doing his best to ignore Ink, “If he really is the source of all evil then find a way to not make him the source of all evil!”

“You really care for Nightmare more than JR?”

“Stop the manipulation fuckery Dream, and answer the question! How is the source of all evil?! Why-”

“YOU DON’T THINK I’VE TRIED?!” Dream suddenly roared, for once, he was grateful is office was soundproof, it kept conversations like this secret. Dream sighed, signing the last document and setting it aside.

Ink gave him a curious look, “Nightmare and I are guardians, we were meant to protect the source of feelings, a tree that held both negativity and positivity in small apples. Nightmare has the last negative apple. I’ve been alive for more than a century, and I’ve tried other ways. None have worked yet.”

“Then what do you plan on doing?”

“...I can’t think of anything left to do, except for one option.” The artist gaped at him, “Every time Nightmare is captured we manage to squeeze in a few tests before one of his team manages to help him escape. He keeps his soul protected, everything I’ve has failed, negativity continues to exist.”

“You have to be kidding me- you’re seriously so focused on Nightmare that you’d- this has to be a joke!”

“The only option left it to sacrifice both of us. I don’t know if new guardians will appear, or if something else will happen. If new guardians, maybe they could work out a way to end the negativity. If no new guardians appear, then at the least the negative apple will be unprotected and someone can find a way to destroy it.”

“What about JR?”

“I was planning on giving it to you or Glitch, despite your soullessness, you work hard for this company and I know that if you need help there are plenty of people willing. When I die this company will need direction, it doesn’t matter who, what matters is someone steps up and brings back order.”

Ink nodded, sorrowful, biding goodbye before leaving the office.

Silence ensued, and night began to rise in the windows behind him.

  
“Oh my, Dreamy, what. A.  _ Performance _ !”


	20. Chapter 20

Silence ensued, and night began to rise in the windows behind him.

“Oh my, Dreamy, what. A.  _ Performance _ !”

“Good evening, Blue.” Dream sighed, “What do you have this time? I’m not in the mood to deal with your shenanigans.”

“Aww-, you’re  _ no _ fun.” Blue’s voice was fake and baby doll-like, his upper body leaning against the table. One hand held up his face and the other slowly reached across the desk towards Dream, “I’m just making the most of the little time I have left with you… you would know how that feels, wouldn’t you?”

Suddenly, Dream’s claymore crashed into the desk. Hurling itself barely a hair between Blue spread fingers. The Guardian’s eyes were piercing. Thankfully, the sword was made as thin as paper, and when pulled out of the desk it only left a meager crack.

“Someone has a temper~” Blue teased, now leaning back playfully against a chair, just out of the sword’s reach. The sword fizzled away and the little rat was all too quick to clamber back onto the desk, situating himself right in front of Dream, each leg resting on the arms of the CEO’s chair. Effectively making escape more difficult.

The office chair creaked quietly as Blue let his elbows rest on his knees, and finally rest his head in his hands. Eyes locking with Dream’s. “You have something I want...” Blue tilted his head innocently, letting the words draw out, “And as luck would have it...” The voice was pathetically soft, fake by all accounts yet charming. Dream refused to fall for the cheap tactics, “I have something you want...”

“You will not be getting Glitch.” Dream deadpanned, voice steady. Unimpressed.

“Even if I knew where your good old friend and fellow guardian Nightmare was?” The voice continued to fake innocence, eyes trailing over Dream in an attempt to find anything out of place, anything that could be an opening. “Poor little things, hiding away right under your nose in one of your own world’s...”

Blue swept away a hair from Dream’ forehead, fake admiration twinkling in his eyes. Dream could read emotions, he knew it was fake, and it still stuck a dim chord in him. Blue huffed, victorious. “Besides… Glitch isn’t interesting anymore, someone has managed to take what little subservience I got into him away. He’s dull. Too considerable of a risk. Too similar to our Error.”

Slowly intertwining a hand with Dream’s, he spoke further, “You, however, are a treasure.” He leaned in closer, their noses practically touching, a hand caressing one of Dream’s cheeks, “A treasure that I plan to cherish and care for as long as I ca-”

The fawn haired rat was unable to finish his sentence as Dream pulled back and headbutted his skull against the other’s harshly, throwing Blue’s body back and flipping him over the desk.

“I suppose not all dirty tricks are bad,” The Guardian mused, standing up and dusting off his desk, leisurely walking around to where Blue was lying in pain on the floor. “Good night, Blue.” Dream chuckled, sauntering off and turning the light off on the way out.

  
  


\-----

  
  


_ “No BOssman agaIn? SeRIOusly?” Glitch asked, sitting down with Ink at lunch, “WHat is THaT nOw, tHReE wEEks in a rOw??” _

_ “I hate being that person, but since Dream ain’t here, it’s actually been four weeks.” Ink shrugged, scrolling through his phone. The artist continued: “Whatever project it is will be done today at least.” _

_ “What tHE fuck is hE EvEn dOIn’?” _

_ “ ‘A fragile procedure that requires patience and attentiveness, something that I sincerely distrust you pair have in your confined vocabulary.’ ” Ink quoted, shrugging again, “Said if they get done earlier than planned he’d join us for lunch.” _

_ “ThInk hE’s gOnna End EaRLy?” _

_ “If he’s got a newbie on the team, nah, if he doesn’t it’s fifty-fifty for me. So, odds are he won’t.” Ink played with his food a bit before taking a few bites. _

_ “I believe that you ought to recheck your probabilities, Ink.” Dream suddenly appeared next to them and the artist nearly choked to death, “Good afternoon, you two.” Dream smiled, relaxed for once. _

_ “FInIshEd yOuR pROjEcT, fInaLLy?” _

_ “As a matter of fact, I have, and I’m happy to notify you two that Nightmare and his team have been apprehended.” _

Hours have passed since the news, and the two of them still didn’t know how to process it. Glitch continued to pace around the room he was given, the blanket that reminded him so much of Strings wrapped tight around his shoulders. The lover that was wrongfully accused and currently rotting in the cells underneath JR.

What could they do? What could they do without getting caught? He wracked his brain for any ideas. Anything that could be helpful, and hours into the evening, something snapped in his mind.

It was moments later he found himself in Dream’s office.

“What did you wish to talk about?”

“Can I sEE STRInGs?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I knOw THaT I usEd tO bE apaRT Of NiGHTmaRE’s gROup, and THIs Is rEaLLy suspIcIOus, buT I nEEd tO sEE STRIngs. TRy tO TaLk tO hIm.”

“Pray tell, why would you require to talk to him? He is a criminal, one of the highest on our list.”

“BEcausE hE’s LIkE mE,” Dream raised a brow and Glitch gulped, he hoped this would work. “HE was usEd by BLuE TOO. HE’s sTILL a sTROnG waRRIOR, and I knOw I can HELp HIm dEvELOp HIs maGIc TO bE mORE LIkE mInE. HE cOuLd bE a wORkER LIkE mE.” Dream sighed, “If yOu REaLLy dOn’T bELIEvE mE, LET Ink waTcH OvER us. YOu TRusT HIm mORE, RIGHT? HE cOuLd waTcH OvER and makE suRE I dOn’T dO anyTHInG.”

“...Very well.” Dream pulled out a small note card and scribbled on it before handing it to Glitch. “Give this to Ink, it tells of the circumstances, and if the guards at the Prison's door challenge you, you may show this to them as well.”


	21. Chapter 21

The prison doors shut with thundering loudness, echoing with their footsteps down the long halls. The first room held many prisoners, and it was a long walk until the next set of doors. The second room held fewer prisoners, and was smaller, they walked through the next doorway. The third room held no prisoners, the second-highest security JR had. They were safe to talk now.

“...I’m not sure if I should call ya a fuckin’ idiot or a crazy genius.” Ink finally spoke, the destroyer said nothing, only giving a quiet nod, “You have a plan?”

“...NO, I dOn’T.”

They reached the last pair of doors, and Ink pulled out a card, a special key card given to very few. The doors unlocked, and they stepped into high security.

Glitch shivered, the atmosphere cold, traumatizing. Memories of staying down here, locked up with shackle after shackle for Void knows how long. Even now, he could only guess how long he spent questioning everything. From his existence to his time in this new multiverse.

Ink tapped him on the shoulder, and the skeleton got out of his head, blinking, confused. Ink made a motion, pointing over to where a familiar human was staring at him.

Glitch stared back for a moment before teleporting into the cell, falling to his patellas, hugging Strings close.

Faintly, he heard Ink Nightmare and Cross talking, but at the moment, all he cared about was Strings’ arms around him. The two of them cried in each other’s arms, curling around each other. It was only when Glitch pulled back, caressing String’s blue etched cheeks did he notice how weak and tired his human looked.

His human’s usually bright mismatched eyes were dull, near lifeless. His skin much too pale to be healthy granted he didn’t know a lot about the human body. Small bags under his eyes, as if the pain of his magic being drained from him kept him awake. Unable to sleep.

The more he looked, the more things he found out of place. From the tiniest detail of JR mishandling him, to all the effects the magic cuffs had on him. Nightmare and Cross had the extra energy to still be stable while on the cuffs, Nightmare guardian-meaning extra magic for him-and Cross having determination from his Chara to keep going. Strings didn’t have any of that, having similar magic to an ordinary sans, never learning to destroy and building his magic as well as LV.

Silent rage began to fill him, his partner noticed this immediately and gave him a short kiss. Easily snapping the destroyer out of his fantasies of tearing apart whoever put the magic draining shackles on Strings' limb from limb.

“ ’M Okay, Glitchy… hOnEst.” Even his voice was weak, trembling more than it should, barely even glitching.

“ _ BuLLsHIT _ .” Was all Glitch said in reply, his eyes faintly glowing with magic. For once, he wished he had healing magic or knew anything about healing. Anything that could help Strings, but nothing could come to mind.

Carefully, he pulled Strings into his lap, the human protesting, still insisting he was fine. Slowly he hugged his lover closer, his head right next to Strings’ ear, and quietly he whispered:

“I HavE a pLan… DREam THInks I camE dOwn HERE TO swITcH yOu TO OuR sIdE… Ink knOws nOTHInG. HE can’T knOw anyTHInG… If THInGs GO wELL, I can GET yOu Guys OuT and cOnTInuE TO pLay my ROLE HERE.”

“...why can’t Ink knOw?”

“If THEy fIGuRE OuT I LET yOu OuT, I nEEd Ink TO sTILL bE HERE. I dOn’T wanT TO cHancE JR usInG a LIE dETEcTOR EITHER.”

“SO thE plan is…?”

“DREam wILL pRObabLy TRy and InTERROGaTE yOu sOOn HERE, THEy’LL HOpEfuLLy nOTIcE HOw sIckLy yOu aRE-”

“- _ I’m finE. _ ” Strings stopped whispering, unknowingly giving them a good cover.

“WE bOTH knOw yOu’RE nOT.” Glitch sighed, before going back to whispering: “JR wILL LIkELy puT yOu In THE InfIRmaRy and HELp yOu REcOvER. FROm THERE IT’s jusT makInG suRE yOu’RE HEaLTHy aGaIn. I can ‘kIdnap’ yOu fROm THE InfIRmaRy, pORTaL dOwn HERE-nOw THaT I knOw THE cOORdInaTEs-and GET yOu aLL OuT Of HERE. THE cuffs aRE pRETTy Easy TO bREak. I’LL makE suRE Ink’s asLEEp wHEn I bREak yOu Guys OuT.”

“...alRight.” Strings leaned up and gave Glitch another kiss, which the skeleton happily reciprocated.

“Alright lovebirds,” Ink interrupted, “We got somewhat of a plan: I’m gonna pester the hell out of Dream until he breaks down and talks to Night about their issues. ‘Kay? Kay.” Then the artist turned his attention to Glitch, “We’re gonna leave in a few minutes, I’ll leave you to say your goodbyes.”

With that Ink turned around, and the faint sound of him talking to Nightmare and Cross returned. Glitch and Strings turned their attention to each other again.

“I lOvE yOu, Glitchy.” His human spoke, quiet, drifting off to sleep in the comfort of Glitch’s arms.

“I LOvE yOu TOO, RIns.” Glitch smiled, sincere. Giving a small kiss to the other as he fell asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

Glitch was quickly finding meetings with Dream to be normal, having lost count over the year of how many times Dream had unexpectedly come to the room he was given and asked if he was free to talk. He simply chose not to question it when they walked a different route than normal, his boss only saying: “We’re just taking a more scenic route to my office, sadly I don’t get to see the gardens as much as I would like.”

The destroyer simply nodded along, not even thinking of the fact that the doors to the prison and the infirmary were in this wing of JR. The skeleton stared out of the windows as they walked along, pretty fall trees bright in color, the only fiery scene he wished to see anymore. Any bushes that bore flowers or fruits in the early spring and late summer months were now bare, primed into neat block rows.

He was too busy admiring the garden that he barely noticed when the windows briefly changed to doors. Netted openings in the doors showing a glimpse of the infirmary. His mind forgot about Dream for a moment, and he backtracked. Staring into the ward. His soul throbbing in sympathy when he saw Strings laying alone in a cot.

His lover was alone and looking socially depressed, but physically he looked healthier. Strings’ eyes had a little light to them now, and his skin full of color, and the bags underneath those adorable mismatched eyes were nearly gone as well.

His soul calmed, and he had to tear himself away from the infirmary to continue forward. 

Dream stared at him knowingly.

Glitch walked past the guardian, and they continued their silent walk to Dream’s office.

Quietly, the two of them sat down, and the CEO was quick to talk.

“Glitch, what was the true reason for needing to see Strings?” The skeleton looked everywhere but at the guardian, “Please, do not lie to me… we both know the authentic answer, so save us both the time and reveal the truth.”

Glitch chose to stare at the floor. If Dream knew, what was the point?

“I can remain here all day, Glitch.” An hour passed before the skeleton broke down and talked.

“I wanTEd TO cHEck On HIm.”

“Why? He was housed in our highest security sector. There was no need for anyone to check on him.”

“ _ BuLLsHIT! _ ” Glitch yelled out before he could stop himself, jumping out of his chair, Dream was unphased. “...SORRy. HE nEEdEd TO bE cHEckEd On, HE dOEsn’T HavE EnOuGH maGIc TO suppORT HIm On cuffs… NIGHT and CROss HavE ExTRa TO spaRE, I HavE mORE THan EnOuGH TO spaRE, HE dOEsn’T.”

“You fret about that criminal that much?” Dream’s tone dipped into icy water, just on the surface. Any wrong step and the skeleton would go plunging, a small warning.

“YOu can REad my fEELInGs… I THInk THE answER’s cLEaR.” The CEO stood up and began to leisurely walk around the room as if this wasn’t such an important conversation.

“Why do you regard him?”

“WHy wOuLdn’T I?”

“You’re evading the inquiry.”

“BEcausE yOu wOn’T LIkE THE answER.”

“Then, pray tell, what is the answer that is so offensive that I wouldn’t like it?”

“HE’s my LOvER,” When the guardian said nothing, he continued: “HE kEEps mE sanE, HE HELpEd mE wHEn nO OnE wOuLd OR knEw HOw TO.”

“...How long?” The guardian faced him, and his eyes bore into Glitch, “How long have you two been together?”

“SIncE THE nIGHT bEfORE yOu fOund mE.” Dream walked back to his chair, and sat down, sighing and closing his eyes, as if thinking something over.

Glitch couldn’t decide whether or not he was safe. If he would be thrown into a high-security cell with Nightmare and Cross, have to leave everything to Ink… and if Ink would fail. He doesn’t want to think of all the consequences. He couldn’t even imagine a good outcome to this. He was almost certain he had just doomed all of them.

“Are you sure that you can persuade him to shift sides?”

“...yEs?”

Dream pulled out a spare paper and began to write, there was a space for two signatures at the bottom. He turned the paper to Glitch, putting a pen next to it. Dream’s curvy signature plain as day at the bottom.

“This is a contract of our agreement, if you manage to convert Strings to JR, I will give you visitation rights and when he gets better he can stay with you and join your ranks. He will train under Ink, you, and I and will go on missions with us as well. He will be cleared of his charges. However, if you are to disappoint. I will send both of you back to high security, and our deal will be relinquished.”

Glitch was quick to write a shaky signature.

Dream dismissed him, and he acted like an excited puppy. Speed walking through the halls to get over to the infirmary. After he talked to the doctors and explained things, he was allowed to finally see Strings.

“Glitchy?” His human was so confused, but smiling at how happy Glitch was, the once wild but now daft smile contagious. “What’s gOing On?”

“I madE a dEaL wITH DREam, nOw I’m aLLOwEd TO sEE yOu.” The destroyer happily explained, gently hugging his lover, “THIs mIGHT bE a LOT TO ask... cOuLd yOu swITcH OvER TO JR?” Strings connected the dots and nodded.

  
  


\-----

  
  


It was moments after Glitch left that Ink asked to come in, quietly sitting down in a chair.

“You’re sure there’s no other way?”

“Ink, I’ve previously told you...” Dream sighed, “This is the single way that has a prospect of achieving.”

“What if the multiverse is fine like this?”

“With Negativity intoxicating it?”

“You can’t get a rainbow without rain.” Ink tried to reason, “Don’t you say something similar to the kids in the Orphanage? Something about times getting better?”

“ ‘Only when you’ve felt the lowest of lows, can you feel the highest of highs.’ ”

“And you need Negativity to reach those lows.”

“But you can still be happy without Negativity. Just as you can have a rainbow without rain, you can paint one, compose one.”

“But seeing one in a book isn’t as nice as seeing it for yourself.”

“What is your intent, Ink?”

“Would you say anxiety is a part of Negativity?” Dream nodded his head, trying his best not to roll his eyes. “But anxiety pushes you to do things, you get anxiety by me being here stopping you from doing paperwork. It pushes you to do good.”

“However, you overlook that you can have excessive anxiety.”

“That can be helped, like how JR helps people. And if you have dozens of positive apples, and Nightmare has one negative apple, wouldn’t that keep just enough Negativity to keep the multiverse healthy?”

“You’ve delivered a valid dispute, but you haven’t influenced me, yet, Ink.”


	23. Chapter 23

Dream paced his office, thinking over the last two conversations he’s had. First with Glitch, and second with Ink.

For someone who knew nothing of what happened, Glitch’s words struck far too close to home. It was impossible for him to know, for anyone to know. Those who do know are long since dead or far too old to remember, Dream aside.

_ “HE kEEps mE sanE, HE HELpEd mE wHEn nO OnE wOuLd OR knEw HOw TO.” _

They kept him sane too, in the early years of JR when Dream was confined to his office, stressed out of his mind. They pulled him from his less than proud coping habits. They were the only one that could pull him out of his office and get him to sit down to eat and relax.

They also helped him, someone to lean on and feel safe enough to fall asleep next to. They held more hope and positivity than Dream, and he’s the guardian and embodiment of positivity. All of it was too close for comfort. Down to the detail of Strings being in the infirmary.

Dream’s mind kept the ever flickering image of Ani. The memories old and fuzzy, but he refused to let go. After years, decades even, he still mourned over the loss. Regretting not telling them how much he loved, and still loves them. To this day, it still feels as if Ani is with him, watching over him. The presence is unseen, and not always there, but most of the time it is.

When he gets far too worked up, he can feel phantom arms wrapping around his waist, little Ani much too short to wrap their arms around his shoulders. When something bad is about to happen, he feels a strong breeze tugging at his arms, even if he is inside. When he just needs someone to hold onto, when his own wings hugging him isn’t enough, he can swear that a hand snakes its way into his. Clasping tight and holding on.

Even a guardian needs a guardian apparently.

His mind continued to think of Ani as he thought over Ink’s argument. Ani had also had similar values, and for a moment, he could see the meaning and proof of Ink’s argument. Ani would’ve never been able to shine as they had, helped as much as they did, if they never stood on that rooftop. If they had never wished for an angel to save them, and Dream helped them away from the ledge.

Dream would’ve never felt so happy to have Ani if he never feared he’d lose them. After all, it was Ani who first told the kids in the orphanage years ago: “Only when you’ve felt the lowest of lows, can you feel the highest of highs.”

Maybe there was some truth to Ink’s dispute. Now that he looks back on it, all of this was for not. Even if he did kill Nightmare and himself, there was no telling if it would work. It would do more than letting Nightmare live, the multiverse is for the most part stable, any serious negativity can be treated. JR can capture criminals just as extreme anxiety can be helped.

Suddenly, Dream stopped pacing, a small tugging at his sleeve. No one was in the room with him. Ani was altering him. The guardian searched through the room, just in case, letting his wings and eyes flare bright magic. A hint of blue in the shadows.

“Aww, you caught me.” A sing-song voice drawled out, “I was hoping to admire the view a little longer.” The other’s head tipped a little, smiling innocently. His fawn hair shading his eyes, giving them a glowing effect in the magical light.

“You can admire the view of a jail cell if you decline to leave, Blue.” The guardian snapped, well done with dealing with the pest. He had many more important things to get back to now that he had thought through his little problems.

“My my Dreamy, how rude~ ...it isn’t like you to snap at people.  _ So _ unprofessional.” Blue used exaggerated body expressions as he talked, trying to hit a weak spot in Dream. “Funny enough, a lot of the highest members have been unprofessional lately… Ink, you, and of course, our little Glitchy.”

“Dare I ask?”

“Oh my dear, you don’t need dare, for I can simply tell you: Glitchy has been stealing away moments with Strings behind you back.” The guardian raised a brow, “It’s true, I was unlucky enough to catch the two being love birds in the infirmary… Ya’know, perhaps if you let me, I could do the same for you-”

“Not happening.” Dream turned away from the intruder, going back to his desk and back to work.

“H-HEY!” Blue sounded exasperated for once someone not paying attention to him and flat out ignoring him. Blue’s lips pursed, and he rose from his shadow, strutting over the Dream’s desk and making a newly cleared spot on it.

The guardian continued to pay no mind. Blue leaned back, pulling a wing to wrap around himself. “...Is there a reason to why that’s not happening, dear Dreamy?”

Still no response. Blue carefully moved himself to sit on one of the armrests of Dream’s chair. “Perhaps someone who’s stolen your heart from me?”

The silence mocked him. He rested his head on Dream’s shoulder, nuzzling into the bare neck, “Someone that you still miss? Someone that made that little trinket you wear so preciously around your neck?”

A wing knocked him off, and the air went icy, all of Dream’s magic pulled back. The sudden lack of positivity suffocating.

“Have I struck a sore spot?” The guardian’s eyes slanted, daring Blue to go further. “Do you really care for someone that’s been dead for nearly a century?” The little magic in the room pulsed, a second warning. “ _ Ani isn’t that good anyway _ -”

In the blink of an eye, Dream was out of his chair and had Blue pinned to the wall. His famous claymore barely pressed against Blue’s neck. The taller’s glare was intense, and suddenly Blue regretted opening his mouth. All of his confidence was gone.

  
“ _ Give me one valid incentive not to tear your throat like a worthless chicken _ .”


	24. Chapter 24

In the blink of an eye, Dream was out of his chair and had Blue pinned to the wall. His famous claymore barely pressed against Blue’s neck. The taller’s glare was intense, and suddenly Blue regretted opening his mouth. All of his confidence was gone.

“ _Give me one valid incentive not to tear your throat like a worthless chicken_.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Blue spat until he gasped weakly as the sword moved closer, it’s flat side now pressing closer to his throat. Threatening to cut two bleeding lines in his very fleshy neck, “I GET IT, OKAY? YOU WOULD DARE-”

“Do I need to reiterate myself?” Blue didn’t dare speak and was unable to nod or shake his head. Hoping his silence was enough. Dream’s eyes glared further, his small beady pupils barely seen, “...I learned a rather unique fact about Glitch the other day. How he doesn’t require to breathe, how his skull can effortlessly separate from his neck and persist.” Blue gulped, “It nearly makes me wish that you and I were skeletons. It would make the more… desirable result far less messy.”

Blue closed his eyes and dropped defenses, fearing the worst. “There, much more agreeable.” The sword pulled away from his neck, and Dream rested his weapon a breathable distance away.

“W-what?” Blue was still far too shocked and had much too little positivity to have much of a grasp on anything. Eyes focused on the sword before darting back up to Dream’s eyes.

“Leave me and my alone. JR and its workers included. Only then will I not make my threat a promise.” Dream leaned forward slightly, towering over Blue, “Am I clear?”

“See-through...”

The guardian finally stepped back and walked back over to his desk as if nothing had happened. Positivity leaked from him, not so much that the angel had fully let go of his aura again, but just enough to get Blue moving again.

It was a few moments before Blue could remember how to walk, and still, it was shaky steps all the way to the door. The terrifying thought of Dream easily being able to strike at him didn’t help.

Just as Blue’s hand’s finally rested on the handles, Dream spoke up once more.

“Before you leave, Blue. If you are to take anything from this discussion, remember to firstly, not underestimate me, and secondly, don’t disrespect the dead.” Blue weakly nodded, the guardian’s laugh sending shivers down his spine.

  
  


\-----

  
  


It was hours later when Dream was finally able to get out of his office, his work done. Curious, he wandered to the infirmary, wanting to check up on Strings and Glitch if he was there.

“YOu just missEd him...” Strings’ weak voice echoed in the closed-off room, gesturing to the chair beside his cot where Glitch was currently sleeping. Dream quietly closed the door behind him, the glitched human having been moved to his own room in the medical ward, and pulled up another chair to sit in.

“Actually, I came to see how you are, Strings. I believe this is the first time, or one of the few times, that I’ve taken an opportunity to talk to you.”

“I dOn’t havE much tO say tO yOu, sORRy.” The glitched human shrugged, going back to knitting another toy.

“I might as well try. Assuming you’ve decided to switch sides, it would be sufficient to get to know each other.” Dream’s eyes trailed down to the toy, the craftsmanship eerily recognizable, and strikingly similar to the toys that an anonymous visitor liked to leave for the Orphanage. “You fancy making toys? Or at the least, knit?”

“Mhm,” Strings hummed, letting silence grow for a moment, before speaking further, “OnE Of my fEw hObbiEs. KnOwn hOw tO fOR as lOng as I can REmEmbER.”

“It reminds me of a lot of the toys a stranger likes to impart to the Orphanage.”

“...Only way I cOuld gEt thEm tO thE kids, bEing an Outlaw and all.” Strings admitted.

Anxious silence ensued, Dream breathing in a nice quiet moment, and Strings sitting nervously. Unsure of the other’s next action.

“You and Glitch got together shortly before we located him, correct?”

“...Why aRE yOu asking?”

“You both care about each other… as well as care about Nightmare and Cross.”

“Can I ask whERE this is gOing?”

“If you’re plotting anything, don’t. I’m not wholly sure of their or your condemnation anymore.” Strings looked up from the toy, confused. Dream continued, “While I can’t say for definite you will be cleared, some new evidence is compelling me to look over everything once more.”

“NO pLans TO EscapE? BORInG.” Glitch sleepily spoke, slowly waking up.

“Don’t test me, Glitch. I’ve already had to threaten Blue today, don’t make me snap at you too.” The guardian sighed, “I want this to go smoothly if I do adjust my mind. Ink is aware of my fresh thoughts and it is only fair that you two, being in the corresponding tier as him, know as well.”

Dream rose from his chair and moved it back to its place, “The moon is high. I counsel you both to get some rest. I’ll see myself out.”

It went silent as he left, both error’s eyes following him until he disappeared out of the medical ward.

“...Is thE plan still a gO?” Strings hesitantly asked hand clasped tightly around Glitch’s.

“...YEs.”


	25. Chapter 25

“...Is thE plan still a gO?” Strings hesitantly asked hand clasped tightly around Glitch’s.

“...YEs.”

“ARE yOu gOing tO tEll NightmaRE and CROss abOut it?”

“...I shOuld pRObably dO that.” His human laughed a bit at that, light and airy. Healthy.

Glitch got up from the chair, hugging Strings for a moment as well as giving him a loving kiss, before heading to the door. “I’ll bE back in a bit. TRy and gEt sOmE REst whilE I’m gOnE, ‘kay?”

“I’ll cOunt On it,” the airy laugh continued, evening out to a chuckle, “I’m still finE, and nOt that tiREd.”

“Bullshit.” Glitch paused at the door, turning back to smirk at his lover. His expression playful and carelessly showing off his teeth. A genuine whimsical smile.

“I changEd my mind, I’m staRting tO gEt tiREd Of yOu saying that.”

“ARE yOu EvER gOing tO gEt tiREd Of mE?” 

“ME? GEt tiREd Of my handsOmE unpREdictablE skElEtOn? ThE Glitchy I lOvE sO much?” Glitch expected a yes, or something sarcastic, not the endearing words that lit a determined fire in his soul, “GiGi, yOu’ll havE tO wORRy mORE abOut gEtting Rid Of mE than if I’ll EvER gEt tiREd Of yOu.”

Glitch’s skull lit up in a blue fire, far more pixels littering his face and covering his now empty sockets. He quickly opened the door and left before he could be embarrassed further. Strings yelling out just before the door closed: “I lOvE yOu!”

Glitch had to quickly teleport away to the room he was given to cool down his blush.

He never thought he’d be so lucky to have Strings. Someone that loves him so unconditionally. Even if sometimes the wording sounds like Blue, it helps him heal. The questioning and sarcasm that used to be seen as so manipulative and shattering are now seen as playful and harmlessly flirty. Simple conversation.

Strings knew all the right little things to help him. Nearly forgetting about Blue and that Strings isn’t his first relationship. It was clumsy, messy, and mismatched like a first quilt, but it’s theirs.

Slowly his blush calmed, and he simply relaxed, his room not so cold anymore, his soul content. Finally, he teleported down to the high-security cells.

“Hey, lover boy.” Nightmare called.

“Hypocrite.” Cross coughed out in the background. Glitch simply shook his head at the shenanigans. 

“Says another lover boy.” Nightmare said, also covering it with a cough before moving on, “How is Strings doin’?”

“Right nOw, hE’s dOing gREat. A bit mORE REst and hE shOuld bE RElEasEd fROm thE infiRmaRy.”

“And I’m assuming he’s not coming back to high security because Dream should’ve learned that’s a terrible idea?” Nightmare spoke up

“YEah… a bit agO I madE a dEal with DREam. If I ‘switchEd’-” Glitch did air quotes to make sure Night and Cross knew he didn’t mean he actually got Strings to change sides, “StRings tO JR, I cOuld visit him and hE wOuld stay with mE in thE ROOm I was givEn.”

“ _ You did not. _ ” Nightmare growled out, very pissed.

“I’m gOing tO gEt yOu guys Out. StRings includEd. I just nEEd tO bE ablE tO makE suRE hE dOEs and kEEp DREam fROm thinking I’m thE OnE that lEts yOu guys Out.” Nightmare and Cross had a shared look of disbelief.

“Ink doesn’t know anything… does he?” Nightmare questioned.

“Can’t Risk it. If I fail hE nEEds tO still bE hERE. It’ll put mORE blamE On mE and lEss On him. If DREam dEcidEs tO usE a liE dEtEctOR, it will bE tRuE whEn I say Ink wasn’t a paRt Of thE plan.”

“You seriously considered that?” Cross asked

“I wasn’t knOwn fOR giving stRaightfORwaRd answERs duRing IntERROgatiOn. I managEd tO find a fEw lOOphOlEs and it tOOk DREam a fEw tRiEs bEfORE hE gOt anything Out Of mE. EvEn thEn thE infORmatiOn I gavE was unhElpful.”

“We’re really going to leave Ink behind on this?” Nightmare questioned, Glitch opened his mouth to speak, “Don’t. That was rhetorical.” The guardian had his head in his hands.

“I’m sORRy...”

“If it’s what we need to do, don’t be sorry.” Cross sighed, “Has Dream changed his mind at all?”

“HE said hE’s thinking abOut it… but that’s anOthER Risk.” Both humans raised a brow at him, “If DREam Ends up nOt changing his mind, it’s bEttER yOu guys aREn’t hERE. If hE REally dOEs changE his mind, hE can lOOk fOR yOu guys if hE REally wants tO makE a tRucE.”

“When should we be ready?”

“I dOn’t knOw… I havE an AU pickEd Out fOR yOu, it’s Out Of yOuR cOmfORt zOnE but if DREam asks I can kEEp him Off yOuR tRail. Just bE REady at any timE.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


Strings slowly awoke as he was jostled, the arms around him not the bone he was used to. Not the scratchy texture of his skeleton’s jacket. Not the smell of fried circuit boards that he was used to. Not hearing the glitching and subtle beeps his Glitchy had… and once he opened his eyes, not the sight of his lover either.

“Wakey, wakey.” Blue sang, light blue eyes peering down at him. Looking at him like he is an object. A pawn.

Strings tried to squirm and found Blue's arms holding him tighter. They were still in his infirmary room, curled up in the corner. The curtains to the windows, all of them, were closed.

“Aww, what’s the problem, Error?” Blue drawled out, his expression similar to that of a mad man on his last string of sanity.

Blue began to monologue on something or other, and from old instinct, Strings tuned him out. Solution… solution. Something that could help him. Blue and he were a matched level of strength, so fighting his way out was not a good option. It would ruin the plan further, he barely got out of all the sickness the cuffs had caused him. Strings was sure that Blue pulling him off of the medical things that kept him stable wasn’t helping.

Another option… maybe punch Blue in the face? He would need to combine it with another plan. The windows, while the drapes are closed, aren’t soundproof.

Giving Blue a good punch right in the center of his face, leaving an already bruising mark, Strings managed to get out of the fawn rat’s hold.

“HELP!”

“Get back here you-” Blue got up, going to grab Strings again before his soul lit up before him, and he was flung back against the wall, a far too familiar sword pushing against his neck.

“This isn’t a pleasant surprise.” Dream’s voice growled out, Glitch helping Strings behind him. “I thought you would know better than to come back here again after our last… oh so pleasant discussion.”

“Strings isn’t yours-” Blue coughed out, the sword pressing against his neck further, blood dripping down the blade as a hairline cut began to form.

“He is one of my workers. But, he is also Glitch’s, just as Glitch belongs to Strings, _ and you will do good to remember that _ .” Dream’s other hand came up and began to heal the wound. Allowing Dream to hold the blade in the same spot without furthering the damage. It’s own very small torture.

Behind them Strings started to get into a coughing fit, globs of pure magic coming out into his hands, being off the machines for far too long.

“Promptly, get him fastened up to the machines- call the doctors, we need to get him stable again-” Dream instructed, eyes glued to Blue.

“WHaT’s HappEnInG-?”

“Magic surplus, a side effect of the draining cuffs… it’s a swift fix but unpleasant if not taken care of.” Dream explained. While it was nice to know that it was an easy thing to fix, it did very little to calm Glitch's soul.

Shakily, he grabbed the pager and called for the staff, nurses, and doctors running in. Dream pulled the blade back, and the small cut fully healed, leaving no trace. A nurse was quick to figure out what happened and happily called security to take Blue away.

Hours had passed before Glitch and Strings were left alone again.

“...I fuckEd up thE plan, didn’t I?” Strings meagerly spoke.

“NO, nEvER. BluE’s just… a giant fucking… I dOn’t EvEn knOw what tO call him, that’s hOw bad hE is.” Strings laughed softly, his throat hoarse from all the coughing. “YOu’RE gOing tO REcOvER… just a small hiccup… a simplE fEw days push back.”


	26. Chapter 26

A grandfather clock sang it’s hourly song as time announced a new day. The minor set back now gone, he could lay in the room he was given with his lover, fall blissfully into sleep surrounded by warmth. Yet his soul wasn’t contently quiet, it was forced quiet by his own screaming mind.

His soul wanted to be happy, enjoy the night of cuddles and loving good night kisses, relish in the embrace of his arms holding his human close. His human happily clinging to his chest, hair and head carefully tucked under his skull. His mind on the other hand reminded over and over that the same human was counting on him, counting on him to know when to escape. Counting on Glitch to call the time when their friends rotting in the cells below them would be set free.

His newly found guilt wasted no time crawling up his back, curling itself around his vertebrae and resting on his head. His own torturest spirit of negativity whispering to him of all the things he could be and should be doing. Ironic.

If he was aware of his own feelings and this situation had happened a year or two prior, he would’ve likely left Nightmare and Cross to rot. Not under the pretense of hating either of them or following with JR. Simply because he and his would be safe. No more running or worry. No more fear. As long as they pledged to JR and worked under or with Dream, they would stay safe and taken care of.

Stars know he’s tired of fear by now. Fear drove his hatred. Hatred drove him for centuries. Centuries of battle gave him more to be paranoid of, more to be afraid of. More fear, more hatred, more time, more of the vicious cycle that was his emotions. A cycle that stopped when he was brought into a new multiverse, one where he wasn’t feared. When his own paranoia began, he wasn’t hated but searched for. Suddenly, with the two driving forces of his life gone, time began to heal instead of corrupt.

Now time has brought him forward in life, not blissfully unaware of the pain of business and criminals. He was no stranger to war, but laws and customs were and are still as foreign to him as the multiverse he’s stuck in. All is game in a three-sided turf war of AUs. On the other hand, in the two-sided battle of humans and laws, there are far too many rules and contradicting stories, it’s ridiculous how anyone follows them all.

The clock sang it’s song for a new hour, and Strings squirmed in his sleep before going still once more.

Glitch pulled back, letting one hand run through Strings’ hair and another caress his cheek. He may not know how to follow laws or rules just yet, but he’s learned how to do what’s right.

Strings doesn’t belong in overly fancy full-sized beds, under expensive layers of blankets and unneeded sheets that serve no purpose aside from decoration. He belongs in the rickety mattress in a home he loves, hiding under quilts carefully stitched full of layers and experiences. Not in JR issues pajamas but in mismatched worn clothes. Not in JR, but on the run, living in a house with his friends and Kevin.

It was moments later, Glitch found himself teleporting to high security, Strings sleeping away in his arms.

Nightmare and Cross looked up, somber looks on their faces.

Glitch simply opened back to back portals in the walls of both their sells, essentially letting them walk through the bars.

“Are you sure?” Cross asked as Glitch carefully passed Strings over to Nightmare.

“NO, but it’s bEttER tO dO this nOw.” Glitch leaned down, and pressed a kiss to his lover’s cheek, “I’m sEnding yOu tO a gEnOcidal undERgROund AU, I’vE alREady fOund and sEt up KEvin thERE. ThERE is plEnty Of fOOd stOckEd and clOthEs. It’ll bE nO OnE but yOu thERE.”

The two of them nodded, and turned to the portal, “...TakE caRE Of him fOR mE.”

  
  


\------

  
  


“Have you finally changed your mind?”

“Yes,” there was a deep sigh, “I desire you and Glitch to be there when I make amends, Strings as well.”

“Not until you say that you were wrong.” Ink smiled, as close as he could get to real happiness and real coyness in Dream’s presence.

“Is that positively necessary?”

“You’ve been chasing the wrong guy for practically a century, I think you kinda deserve everyone  _ at least _ a small ‘I was wrong’ Mister I’m right all the time.”

“That is far from my last name-”

“Oh, just say it already.”

“Very well,” Dream stood up from his chair, and gave a bow to Ink, hand over his heart, “I, Dream-”

“I don’t need a full announcement, Boss.”

“Fine,” Standing tall and looking his subordinate in the eyes, Dream spoke: “I was wrong. You were right. May we go now?”

“We may,” Ink laughed, “Like the little, I was right part too, nice touch.”

“ _ Don’t remind me. _ ” The older spoke under his breath, walking forward, using a wing to pull Ink along with him out of the office, and walking over to Glitch’s room not far away.

It was a few knocks before Glitch answered, his expression sorrowful, “Is there something amiss?” Dream asked, putting aside the good news.

“I can’t find StRings...”

“...Anyplace at all?” The former destroyer shook his skull, staring down at the floor.

In a flash of speed, Dream flew over to the prison, marching his way to high security, Ink and Glitch hardly keeping up.

The cells were empty.

The CEO silently shook, his back turned as Ink and Glitch finally arrived. His voice was monotone as he gave one simple order: “No one leaves until we locate out who did this.”


	27. Chapter 27

As he steadily awoke, far too many things felt off. His senses felt deprived. His bed was cold as if he was the only one in it and Glitch wasn’t with him. He couldn’t smell fried circuit boards, the dull smell of dried blood irking his nose instead. Blankets were curled around him, not his lover's body protectively circling his own. He couldn’t hear the soft beeps and breathing of his skeleton.

His eyes opened, and he couldn’t see Glitch either. The room around him was entirely different too. Instead of the grand four-poster bed, he sat in a small bedroom with a basic bed. Everything had been arranged nearly exact to his room in the farmhouse.

Had Glitch really carried out their plan without him?

Slowly, he walked out of the room and down a flight of stairs. Nightmare, Cross and Kevin sat at a table together, Glitch was nowhere in sight.

“WhERE is hE?” All three of them avoided his gaze, looking everywhere but at Strings, “YOu knOw whERE hE is-”

“You’re not the only one who had to give up someone they cared about.” Nightmare stared at the table, shuddering slightly as if he was about to cry, “It wasn’t easy for any of us. Right now we’re safe. We need to trust Ink and Glitch to see this through.”

“ _YOu REally think I’m gOing tO sit aROund hERE waiting?_ ”

“We don’t have a choice,” Cross shrugged, “JR is on lockdown right now, trying to figure out who helped us escape.”

“Will EithER Of thEm bE safE?”

“...We won’t know until the lockdown is over.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


It was shortly after Dream’s order that everyone was isolated, Dream slowly going through interrogating everyone. Anyone in JR was a suspect. It was several days before enough people were cleared for the building to be working again.

The first to be investigated and cleared was the security team, so at the least JR would have defense again. Next was a sectioned team to look for Nightmare, Cross, and Strings so while an investigation was conducted, they could start to search. From there it was slowly moving from the lowest tiers of workers to the highest until nearly everyone had been cleared.

The only people left were Ink and Glitch. One went to the first interrogation room, and the other went to the second.

“Where were you the evening Nightmare and his team escaped?” Dream questioned, Glitch felt a nervous sweat drip down his skull.

“In my ROOm, slEEping.” He shrugged, trying to be as solemn and unfocused as possible. Which surprisingly wasn’t hard.

“Do you have any notion of who could’ve assisted them escape?”

“MaybE StRings wantEd his fRiEnds tO bE fREE? If nOt him thEn I dOn’t knOw whO cOuld’vE.” He hugged himself for comfort, the guardian's eyes seemed to bore into him.

“You think Strings did? Despite him being your partner?”

“WEll, hE’s hElpEd thEm EscapE bEfORE, Right? I didn’t havE many univERsal laws OR tEammatEs back in my multivERsE, but if I had tEammatEs hEld in pRisOn I wOuld pRObably bust thEm Out tOO.” Glitch started to stare at the table, tears forming in the corners of his eyes sockets. He only just got Strings back and had to nearly immediately let him go.

“How do you think he helped them escape? Considering how comparable and close you two are.”

“...If I wERE tO bREak thEm Out I’d just dEstROy thE baRs, quiEt OR nOt it wOuld wORk and gEt us Out. MaybE hE’d cOnsidER kEEping quiEt? OuR stRings aRE pREtty haRd tO bREak, if wE usE thEm Right thEy can cut thROugh just abOut anything. SO hE’d pRObably cut thROugh thE baRs and thEn pORtal EvERyOnE Out.” Glitch shook his head.

A tear dripped down and he pushed it away, “SORRy… um,” he tried to remember what he was talking about, genuine pain over having to part with Strings making it through his act. “I guEss hE cOuld just tElEpORt in and pORtal thEm Out that way tOO.”

“I thought you said Strings isn’t experienced in warfare?” Dream’s gaze continued to burn into him, voice monotone and emotionless, seeming both unbelieving and believing.

“WEll, I havE mORE attacks, but, wE bOth havE stRings that wE can usE and pORtals.” Glitch hugged himself a little tighter, “I-I… I just dOn’t knOw… I nEvER bOthEREd OR EvEn thOught Of fighting with him, and StRings nEvER had tO hElp NightmaRE and CROss Out Of pRisOn whilE I was hERE sO I dOn’t knOw fOR suRE what hE’d dO.”

“Nothing was seized on camera, how do you think he slipped by?”

“HE was dOwn thERE mORE than lOng EnOugh tO knOw thE cOORdinatEs sO hE wOuldn’t mEss up tElEpORtatiOn… OR a pORtal.”

“I thought you said he couldn’t teleport like you?” Glitch could only sit and wait, he messed up. That was it. “For not grasping what Strings would do to break out Cross and Nightmare… you’ve given complete descriptions so far.”

Dream sat back, seeming satisfied with himself.

The door opened, a security guard notifying that Ink was cleared. Before the guard could leave, Dream spoke: “Gather some guards, it’s going to take several of you to take Glitch to his cell.” 

The guard nodded and left. The guardian's smile turned solemn, but still content. “You were given a secure life, why?” Glitch couldn’t look the other in the eyes, “Why stay faithful to Nightmare?”

“...Out Of all things my lifE has taught mE, thERE’s nO such thing as safE.” Dream scoffed, “I wasn’t safE in my multivERsE, nOt wantEd by anything ExcEpt thE antivOid, thE placE that’s pRObably huRt mE thE mOst if I cOuld REmEmbER what it did tO mE. I’m nOt safE hERE, tOO scaREd Of gOing back and lOsing thE lifE I madE hERE. HOnEstly, I’m tiREd Of all Of this.”

Glitch was able to pull his gaze from the table and smile as he looked Dream in the eyes. “Changing tO pacifism isn’t gOing tO gEt Rid Of thE dust and blOOd On my hands. I cOuld EscapE, but it’s pOintlEss. I dOn’t bElOng in this multivERsE, and my multivERsE dOEsn’t want mE. In thE End, I dOn’t bElOng anywhERE, I dEsERvE this fOR all thE chaOs I’vE causEd.”

The guards came through the door and Glitch followed them without resistance. Dream and soon Ink trailing behind. Instead of heading to the prison, however, they took a sharp detour, heading outside.

The sun shined down on the skeleton, ironic. Glitch breathed in the outside, and he let a small still insane piece of him smile as he saw several of his guards flinch. He soaked in the noise of birds chirping, the soft blue sky, the trees full of life, the smell of cut grass.

They reached a brand new building, small in size, walking downstairs after stairs until they reached a heavily locked door. It was a quarter of an hour later that they continued on, a padded room, fit for an insane king waiting beyond the layered glass, a metal door sealing him away.

Dream pulled a slide, opening a small window. The glass was soundproof as well.

“Are you pleased with yourself, Glitch?” Dream called, his expression still emotionless. Ink looked between the two worriedly.

“I guEss I am… aftER all, I’m nOt thE Only mOnstER hERE anymORE.”


	28. Chapter 28

He sat comfortably in his cell, hanging in a hammock made of his strings. He was surprised by JR, they had enough time to make this special cell just for him, and didn’t bother to upgrade their magic cuffs? Maybe they learned not to waste their resources from last time. 

A window hovered in front of him, letting him watch over his lover and friends, a second smaller one keeping an eye on Dream and a third on the door outside. He wasn’t going to complain about the cuffs. Without them, he can watch over everyone conveniently.

His mind began to drift as his eye lights stayed on Strings, flicking over to the other two windows now and again. Was all of this worth it? To cause so much chaos and only make things worse? Selfishly enjoy the few moments of cuddling and love he got? Find himself loving another version of himself?

Knowing the creators, it wouldn’t be the first time selfcest happened.

Still, that dream he had all those months ago itched at the back of his mind. He had always been a little vain and confident, which didn’t help the thought of, is this all a narcissistic dream? Small hope for a universe better? The need to feel like he was in the right, despite everyone and himself including knowing he’s in the wrong?

Was it a little, small, immeasurable sane piece of himself that wished for control again? Deal with all the death he’s caused, learn to live normally, not commit to his end goal early in fear and disgust of all the harm he’s brought?

Strings moved to his bed in his room, and pulled the knitted blanket close, laying on his side and hugging himself. Glitch let a soft smile escape. Selfish or not, narcissistic or not, dream or not, it was worth it.

Flicking his eyes back over to Dream’s screen for a moment, he saw the winged human outside his door, waiting for it to be fully unlocked. He swiped away the windows and laid down in his swing, relaxing the best he could in the conditions. Anticipating Dream.

The slide moved open, and the guardian’s voice echoed through.

“I’m here to inquire about Nightmare and his crew.”

“ThEn ask away Oh RightEOus OnE.” The skeleton snickered, one eye cracking open as he watched Dream’s eyebrow twitch in annoyance. His expression pulled tight into a smile.

“Do you have any concept as to where they are lurking?”

“HA! And yOu REally thOught I’d tEll yOu?” He leaned back in his hammock, “BEsidEs if yOu did find thEm, thERE’s tOO many fiREwalls and pROtEctiOns aROund thEiR AU. By thE timE yOu gEt in thEy wOuld havE alREady bEEn alaRmEd and mOvEd tO thE backup AU I madE fOR thEm.”

“What if I desired to find them to make peace?”

“ThEn yOu wOuldn’t havE mE ROtting in this cEll. YOu’RE nOt thE Only OnE whO can sniff Out bullshit.”

“What if I knew you would not understand me and would try and leave so I confined you?”

“If yOu’RE lOOking fOR pEacE OR nOt, I’m nOt giving yOu anything. GOOd luck asshOlE.” Glitch shrugged, rolling over in his hammock, back facing Dream. A small window opening in front of him, hidden by his body.

Dream stood for a moment, shoulders slumped, before stomping away through the door and up the stairs.

Peace at last.

“Hello, Glitch.” A sing-song voice called out.

“Fucks sakE! LEavE mE alOnE!” Glitch jumped up from his hammock, glaring at Blue, “ThE fuck dO yOu want?!”

“Calm down hun, it took me days to talk to enough people to get down here, at least give me a humble minute of your precious time.” Blue drawled, the skeleton pouted and tensed his glare, but stayed quiet. The blonde rat smirked, “Much better, I came to ask about our favorite Dreamy...”

“SO yOu finally gavE up On mE?”

“Oh stars,  _ yes _ , you’re far too unpredictable. I thought that I’d at least have some sort of control over you like Strings, but that just was  _ not  _ happening.” Blue shook his head, before his smirk returned, “Dream, on the other hand, is much more predictable and interesting… although I wouldn’t mind going after Ink.”

“And yOu’RE nOt gOing aftER him, why?”

“High maintenance, no emotions to manipulate.” Blue shrugged, “And I don’t want Nightmare chasing after me, I learned my lesson from intruding on you and Strings. Too many problems, too much work.”

“OR dEEp dOwn yOu actually havE a hEaRt.”

“Oh please-”

“BluE, I’m fROm a diffEREnt multivERsE. YOu REally thOught I wOuldn’t figuRE Out yOu’RE fROm UndERswap?” The human’s expression froze, “I can’t REally guEss why yOu’RE living in OutERtalE nOw, and away fROm yOuR Paps,” His expression went blank, “But nO mattER hOw much yOu tRy yOu still havE sOmE cOmpassiOn, EvEn if yOu tRy tO hidE it.” He began to scowl.

“Since when did you suddenly get over your fear of me?”

“I gOt nOthing lEft tO lOsE, and I knOw if yOu tRy and fight mE I cOuld tEaR yOuR flEsh bOdy apaRt Easily. BEEn a  _ lOng _ timE sincE I’vE gOt sOmE blOOd On my hands, I think I nEEd a REmindER Of what a human's ORgans lOOk likE again...”

“I get it, you’re insane.” Blue shook ever so slightly.

“WEll, it wOuld bE OnE way tO pROvE yOu gOt a hEaRt.”

“ _ Why are you so bent on that? _ ”

“DOn’t knOw, why aRE yOu sO bEnt On pROving yOu dOn't havE cOmpassiOn? SEEms likE a dumb wEaknEss tO havE.”

“It’s not a weakness because-”

“YEah yEah, yOu dOn’t havE cOmpassiOn, whatEvER. YOu just dOn’t want tO bEliEvE yOu havE a hEaRt bEcausE it’s OnE Of thE fEw things that still cOnnEcts yOu tO undERswap.” Blue’s fists clenched, “YOu wanna pROvE yOu havE nO cOmpassiOn? Stab mE.”

Blue’s expression quickly went from anger to surprise, mumbling out what Glitch meant. “If yOu REally dO havE nO cOmpassiOn yOu’d bE ablE tO stab mE. I’m pREtty suRE DREam alREady has mE On dEath ROw, sO if I diEd hERE it wOuldn’t REally impact anything.”

The destroyer let his strings open up the door, easily sliding through the cracks and picking open the locks. Blue’s face stayed blank, mumbling to himself something Glitch couldn’t hear. “That’s what I thOught.”

The skeleton leaned back in his hammock, opening up his windows once again, relaxing. Thinking he was safe. No matter the multiverse, Blue still avoided violence.

Somehow he forgot that he was never safe, a blue scythe striking him, leaving a bloody trail in its wake, knocking him out of his seat. Blue’s cold eyes stared at him as he laid on the floor, slowly bleeding out onto the white padding, his sockets slowly closed, and he fell unconscious.


	29. Chapter 29

“You’re an undeniable nincompoop, Glitch.” Was the first thing he heard when he woke up. His eyes drifted open, and the ever subtle windows startup played quietly. Looking around for the voice, he found Dream sitting by his bedside. “You’re in the infirmary, Blue has already been escorted to a cell befitting him and I’ve doubled security.”

Glitch sighed, letting his body sink back into the cot, “Not going to hassle to justify yourself?”

“BluE’s an asshOlE.” Was it really necessary to explain himself?

“Nevertheless, during all my years of dealing with his annoyance, he’s been adamant that he's against violence and confirmed it time and time again.”

“WEll, hE acts likE hE dOEsn’t havE a hEaRt sO I pullEd at his stRings a littlE fOR payback, what’s thE big dEal?” He was probably on death row anyway, if he died he died. If he didn’t he didn’t.

“The, as you so simply stated, ‘big deal’ is that it took four security guards holding him down and my aura to calm him!” Dream snapped, wings ruffling before he sat back in the chair again, “ _ Previously _ all it took to get rid of him was bringing him to his senses. The string of that barely staying together yarn ball you plucked at has unpacked what scarce consciousness he had left.”

Glitch just turned his head away, staring out the window. “ _ Whatever f- _ ” Dream breathed in deeply, “Whatever paradox you gave him he clearly found a solution to it. He’s a ticking time bomb, passing in his cell mindlessly.”

“SOunds likE ya caRE fOR ‘im.” The skeleton continued to seemingly stare out the window, a small portal opened up beside him, blocked by his head. Sneakily checking in on Strings and his friends.

“...Enemy or not I have the betterment of everyone in mind. At the moment, Blue is on the brink of, or already has reached insanity… what did you even do to him?”

“MadE him REalizE hE always says OnE thing and dOEs anOthER.” Glitch flicked through the AU and the surrounding ones, checking to see if JR was anywhere near.

“...You made him realize his own cognitive dissonance and made him find a way to improve it, surely?” Dream’s voice was one of surprise, either at the willingness of manipulation or whatever cognitive dissonance was, Glitch was unsure. 

“YOu’RE spEaking gibbERish.” He scrolled back to JR, searching through until he found the cell Blue was in, a wing he was unaware of until now.

Just as Dream had said, he was mindlessly passing, mumbling something. A straight jacket keeping him from doing much, scratch marks along the walls and on the door. His legs wobbled, his steps were shaky. Blue’s legs fell from under him, and he rolled onto his side and sat back up, pushing himself against a wall, still mumbling to himself.

It reminded Glitch far too much of being in the AntiVoid.

“Cognitive dissonance, essentially holding two different mindsets causing tension. Blue acts like he has no compassion nor heart, yet he is averse to violence because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone, something someone with compassion would think.” The destroyer rolled his eyes, “You made him informed of his cognitive dissonance, and in summary, there were two paths to take: Accept that he’s caused mental violence to many and does have compassion, or turn to violence. The latter either much more appealing or easier for him.”

“I think yOu’RE lOOking faR tOO intO this biRdman.”

“I’m making sense of the situation so I can correct  _ your _ blunder.” The skeleton just shook his head, closing the window and looking back at Dream.

“What happEnEd tO him?”

“We put him in a padded cell for his safety, magic cuffs attached along with his ankles and wrists. Yet, somehow he succeeded to get them off- we’re still unsure how, and summon a weapon to start attacking the door and striking at the walls. As much as I didn’t want to, the only way to keep him and everyone else safe would be to keep him pacified with my aura, drugs, or put him in a jacket.” 

Dream looked away, remorseful and silent for a moment, before looking back. “...Blue aside, I require more information from you.”

“StaRs, yOu’vE alREady tRiEd OncE, I’m nOt giving yOu anything.”

“You still resist believing that I aim for peace?”

“EvEn my DREam, whO actEd mORE likE a child than thE… was it FivE hundREd? WhO actEd likE a child instEad Of thE fivE-hundREd-yEaR-Old hE is, undERstOOd that pEacE is basically impOssiblE tO REach and nEvER lasts.”

“I intend to do whatever I can to at least soothe the tensions between JR and Nightmare as well as his friends.” Glitch let out a loud fake laugh at the statement, “I’m serious about this Glitch.”

“And I was sERiOus abOut wORking at JR,” The sarcasm rolled off his tongues easily, “yOu’RE nOt fOOling mE, DREam.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


Strings sat outside of their new home on their front steps, looking at the abandoned AU, Kevin resting in his lap. It had been about a week since JR finished lockdown and had announced that they had found Glitch guilty of helping them escape.

He was so worried. They had only said his lover was guilty, not the conviction. For all he knows, his Glitchy could be dead right now and he wouldn’t even know.

Absentmindedly he held the blanket around him closer. The blanket he and Glitch fell asleep under, and the one he woke up in. The one that his lover crafted to remind himself of Strings, and the one that Strings now has to remind him of his skeleton.

The door opened with a creak, and Nightmare sat down next to him, handing him a mug of hot chocolate, giving Kevin a spinach leaf.

Strings slowly looked over, seeing his consoling expression and arms open, offering a hug. He nodded, letting himself lean against his friend. The hug didn’t fill his nose with the smell of fried circuits, nor did he hear the subtle beeps, but it was still comforting.

“We’ll get them back.” Nightmare promised, letting go. Clutching onto the paint-stained scarf around his neck.

The door opened again, and Cross came down, sitting next to them, another two mugs of hot chocolate. One for himself and another for Nightmare.

“You’re not alone in this, Strings, we got you,” Cross spoke, giving a light pat to Strings’ back, unsure if the glitched human’s haphephobia would allow much more.

Strings nodded, feeling a bit better, but worried.


	30. Chapter 30

The guardian watched the other sit still for once, calmed by his aura, a wing resting around the other’s shoulders. The other's eyes blank as his chin rested on his knees, legs pulled close to him. He leaned slightly against Dream as they both sat against the wall, still mumbling the same phrase that he had been saying since his mind snapped.

In his time away from Glitch, they’ve managed to make some progress with Blue. Having him focus on objects, training his mind to not jump to the more violent answer first and instead begin to accept what he’s done.

His mind snapping didn’t make him lose memories it just made him perceive them differently. Instead of seeing all the bad things he’s done as wrong, he began to see them as right. Thankfully, there was a lot of grey area that Blue was unsure of what to think of, and with that, they could slowly work on reversing what’s been done.

“ ...‘m not… h…”

“Yes, you aren’t him.” Dream confirmed.

All he could do at the moment was reiterate the main problem that was still left in the other’s mind. He wasn’t able to make out much, but the most he could understand was that Blue didn’t want to be like someone he knew, but not being like someone he knew connected him to something else he didn’t want to be.

No one knew of Blue’s background, Glitch only saying that the Blue in his multiverse came from a universe called UnderSwap. A universe that, while it existed in their multiverse, did not explain how Blue ended up the way he is.

The timelines that they had data on were almost all pacifist, a few neutral runs, and a single genocide. Yet no one that was missing matched Blue’s description. The only words Blue would give when Dream asked about his universe was “Stars are home.”

They were able to find Blue’s residence with that clue, and even find his surprisingly legal job, but it was clear that Blue didn’t always live there and suddenly showed up at some point. Some objects from his home helped bring back some bit of sanity, however. Simple objects like blankets seemed to ground him the most.

Thanks to the blankets they could keep Blue grounded longer and have him focused for longer, giving him more time to reteach him about morals. They even managed to get so much progress they could take the straight jacket off without Blue suddenly snapping to violence again.

Dream grabbed Blue’s hand and slowly pulled the other up with him, a wing still wrapped around the other’s shoulders, and they slowly walked out of the padded cell. Things were fine for a time, the two of them slowly walking around, Blue blankly staring at everything, finger’s twitching but holding back.

For a brief moment, the guardian was thankful that they were on the other side of JR, far away from Glitch. They should be away from each other for now.

As they walked outside, Blue seeing the sky and trees for the first time in days, a sudden dark aura began to leak through, piercing the content calm that kept Blue from snapping. Something only Nightmare was capable of.

Blue ran towards the aura, heading for the medical bay, scythe in hand.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“We’re ready whenever you are, Strings.” Nightmare spoke, determination in his eyes, ready for their plan. The glitched human nodded, opening up a portal and jumping through, Nightmare and Cross trailing behind.

Their dark underground world turned into the bright gardens of JR, just outside the window of Glitch’s medical room. Said skeleton had been staring out the window, enjoying the nice breeze he got with it open when his lover and friends got through the portal.

The couple locked eyes, and Strings quickly climbed through the window, going over to his lover’s bedside and hugging his skeleton close.

“What aRE yOu dOing hERE?” Glitch asked when they pulled away.

“REcusing yOu, Of cOuRsE.” Strings smiled, Nightmare gave a small cough in the background, Cross just climbing in, “And wE’RE gOing tO gRab Ink tOO.”

“I’m wOundEd…” Glitch held a hand over the scar on his ribs, “It’s gOnna hOld mE back.”

“ThEn I’ll caRRy yOu.”

And that’s how Glitch found himself held in Strings' arms, running around the perimeter of JR, eventually arriving at the window to Ink’s room. Nightmare opened the window and climbed in like he’d done it a million times. Cross, Strings, and Glitch waited anxiously outside.

“Night?” Ink questioned, sounding genuinely surprised when Nightmare came running in and hugged Ink close, “What are you doing here?” Ink looked up, “What are all of you doing here?”

“We’re rescuing Glitch and you.” For once Ink was speechless, “Please, Ink.”

“...I still need to be here, keep my cover, Dream really does want peace-”

“But what if It’s a trap?  _ Then what _ ?” Nightmare challenged.

“...I’m sorry, Night, I-I really am.” The guardian sighed, and everyone turned away to give them some privacy as they shared a kiss, “I’ll miss you.”

“I know, I will too. Thanks, Ink.” With those final words, Nightmare separated the hug and climbed out the window, and Ink locked it behind him. “Let’s go.”

Cross gave a nod and opened a new portal.

  
  


\-----

  
  


Just as suddenly as Blue snapped, he went calm again. Dream took a moment to catch up, having been running after the odd trail that the other had been following, but when he did, all Blue did was give him a blank stare, and look down at the floor.

Dream sighed and wrapped a wing around the other again. He could feel the other fully relax and begin to lean against him once more. Blue’s emotions were content for once, heavily relying on Dream’s aura at the moment.

The guardian looked around where they were at, having traveled some distance. They were right outside the medical bay now, a window cracked open. Glitch wasn’t in his cot, he was gone.

...A problem for later.

“Sorry?” Blue’s voice spoke hesitantly, still leaning against Dream and staring at the ground.

“Thank you.” The guardian put a hand on Blue’s back, the other relaxing even more at the action.

He’ll find them another time, right now he needs to focus on Blue.


	31. Chapter 31

In the weeks after Glitch’s escape and likely reunion with the memesquad, they’ve made remarkable progress with Blue. He’s become much more conscious with himself, rather than a blank face riding with the waves. His old personality slowly slipping back into place, although far more remorseful and less manipulative. Much of his previous teasing lies and games turned into harmless casual jokes that stop once he crosses the line, although he’s getting better at seeing that line before he gets to it.

Blue’s gotten so much better that they were able to move him out of his cell and give him a proper room, although he refuses to stay in it, heavily relying on Dream still even if he tries to cover it up. The guardian has heard many of the repeating excuses Blue’s used to stay by his side. 

“You’re more interesting than anything else here.” was a common one, “Well I don’t exactly have a job to run off to do anymore.” was the other one he heard a lot, since he was absent for so long without notice his employer fired him, and by the time he was stable enough to work again it’d already been weeks since. “You’re comfy to be around.” Was one he heard now and again, a more honest excuse considering how Blue avoided eye contact with him for hours after.

“I don’t feel safe anywhere else right now,” had been today’s reasoning, Dream pulling a chair over for him. Although after some time it was clear that just being nearby wasn’t helping, even with a blanket that grounded him.

The guardian took a moment to check over and see what meetings he had, pushing them back until tomorrow, before pulling Blue into his lap and helping the other lul to sleep.

His mind wandered as he attempted to do his paperwork, they were so close to finding Nightmare, to finding Glitch. Admittedly, he was worried about what would happen when they did. Would Blue snap again, or would he be able to stay in control? If Dream had to leave, Blue left without his aura, would he continue to stay stable in Nightmare’s presence? Would Ink be able to calm him down if he snapped?

A certain someone squirmed in his lap, and his wing adjusted the blanket around the other, letting the hand that wasn’t writing to rub up and down the other’s arm. The fawn haired relaxed and his head moved to lay against Dream’s shoulder again. It reminded him of Ani…

A hand held his own, resting on top, stopping his comforting motions. Blue held him a little closer, cuddling into him a little more.

The buzzer to his office door went off, and Ink’s voice asked to come in. He let the doors open.

“The team found Nightmare, they’re trying to disable alarms around them before recapture.” Dream gave a nod at the information, “It’s still going to be some days or even a week before we get to them.”

“Thank you, Ink.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


The weeks after his escape from JR were content, things finally settling. Falling asleep and waking up in his lover’s arms, having breakfast with his friends, taking care of Kevin. Teasing each other…

“Come on criss-cross, there’s gotta be someone!” Strings teased, currently sitting in Glitch’s lap in an armchair as Nightmare & Cross shared the couch, the latter of the two pushing his scarf over his face.

“They’re gonna figure it out eventually, big guy,” The guardian chuckled, “Or should I just say how much you like-”

“I regret telling you anything, Night!” Cross’ brightly colored face poked out of his scarf.

“I mEan, thERE’s Only DREam & BluE lEft, it’s gOtta bE OnE OR thE OthER.” Glitch shrugged

“Um… about that… uh them.” He slid back into his scarf again.

“He likes ‘em both.” Nightmare blurted out, Cross stuttering, “What’s got you so worked up? When we were in the cells you spent most of our time ranting about how cute Blue’s eyes and Dream’s blonde hair are-”

“And  _ you _ ranted about Ink’s tattoos!” Nightmare shrugged, a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

“He’s a good kisser too-”

  
“Did  _ not _ need to know that!” Strings & Glitch just laughed at their banter. It was nice to be back.


	32. Chapter 32

Everything had been calm, for a time, and for all of it Glitch was hesitant to relax. No matter the multiverse, whenever a calm period happened, it was always followed by something big. Despite how it felt like it was the end of his story, he knew well that the creators were never satisfied. That no matter the end he was given, there would always be some loose threads.

He started to simply hope that his story truly had come to a close and that whatever loose ends could be wrapped up in short sequels. However, if that were true; he wouldn’t be able to still hear the creators in his head. Hear the occasional comment interrupt his day, people who made it late to the party and that have finally caught up to the present.

If that were true, he wouldn’t be able to feel them reading his thoughts at this very moment.

“Glitchy, cOmE On, yOu’RE finE tO RElax fOR a bit.” The skeleton curled further in his lover’s embrace, “WE’RE s-”

“NO. I dOn’t want tO hEaR thE ‘S’ wORd.” His human sighed, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. “I swEaR, it’s a tRiggER… as sOOn as anyOnE says- OR EvEn thinks that wORd sOmE nEw BS happEns.”

“HOw abOut this? WE’RE-” Glitch glared up at him,“-Okay, yOu havE alaRms aROund us. YOu’vE bEEn kEEping us-” the glare softened, “-pROtEctEd. YOu did sO wEll, Glitchy.” The glare subsided, and his soul swelled with the praise, “And whEn wORsE cOmEs tO wORst, wE havE KEvin.”

The destroyer finally let his tense body relax, finally resting in his partner’s hold… when Kevin began screeching.

Nothing’s ever safe, is it?

The couple ran out of their room and downstairs met with the sight of Cross and Nightmare handcuffed, Ink with Kevin in his arms, and finally, Dream standing tall with Blue by his side. The latter with his signature smirk back.

“Hello, you two.” Dream smiled. Glitch got into a fighting stance, letting his magic flare around him, a large gaster blaster appearing behind him. He could feel Strings behind to let his magic charge as well. Dream was unphased, “I’d recommend you don’t do that, as strong as you are Glitch- no offense meant, Strings- you wouldn’t be able to take down all of us without hurting your friends… or this chicken I suppose.”

“...Kevin.” Nightmare gritted out.

“Or hurting Kevin.” Dream corrected, “Wait… you seriously have a Kevin Jr. after that dumb chicken?”

“Nope, that’s the same Kevin.”

“...You’re joking. There’s no way he should be alive- ...you didn’t.” Nightmare shrugged, “Those apples were a sacred power and you fed one to a chicken!” Dream sighed, shaking his head, “Be glad I’m here to offer a truce and not destroy negativity for good.”

The meme squad and Glitch looked between each other for a while. “Yes, you heard me right. Ink, you can un-cuff them. Everyone else, you may head back to JR.”

The before unseen squads upon squads of workers came out of hiding, all walking back into their JR cars and through portals.

Once Nightmare and Cross were uncuffed Dream ushered everyone through a new portal, leading to a familiar office.

Nightmare and Ink stood next to each other, Kevin in Ink’s arms still. Glitch and strings took the chairs in front of Dream’s desk. Dream took his office chair with Blue perching himself on the armrest, and Cross stood awkwardly between the couples.

“Get over here, Cross.” Dream sighed, a large wing stretching out and pulling Cross over next to them, said person stuttering the whole way over, “I’m the guardian of positive emotions, you thought I wouldn’t know?” Blue chuckled. “Although I am surprised at you two,”

Ink’s cheeks colored a little as he looked away, as if Nightmare’s arm wasn’t wrapped around his shoulder, “However, after seeing you two together It’s clear where those sudden bursts of positivity I’ve been getting from you come from.”

Dream moved his gaze to Blue.

“What?”

“You know exactly what.”

“Do I really have to?” Blue whined and the guardian gave him a pointed look, “Fine. Glitch, Strings, I hurt both of you a lot, more than a sorry could easily cover, although I’d still like to apologize.”

“...Thank yOu.” Strings hesitantly spoke, expression confused, hand clutching Glitch’s tightly.

“With that out of the way, I would also like to give Nightmare and his friends a formal apology, as well as offer a truce to peace, if you’d be willing to accept.”

Nightmare was quick to agree, and Dream soon had everyone’s signatures down on a document.

Glitch smiled, he could feel his true end coming to a close. The Creators voices slowly leaving him, it may be lonely for a time, even boring with all the peace- but it’d be nice not to have so many people reading his every thought.

Even now… they slowly… lost their grip... on him...


End file.
